The Emma Smith Adventures Series 4
by CeriseHood5050
Summary: Emma's offered the chance to go to university, but when her grandmother threatens her life, Emma finds herself in Tudor England, and her loyalty to the Doctor is tested.
1. The Nightmare Man Part 1

Beginning of Year 12…

"Mum, Mummy?" Luke asks.  
"Hmm?" Mummy asks.  
"At school, Mr Chandra called Emma and me into his office, cos he thinks we should take our A-levels in June."  
"Well, you two just started in the sixth form."  
"I know," I agree. "But, we're clever, aren't we? That's why he thinks we can go to any university in the world. The Shadow Architect had to step in and correct him there, saying that any university will open its doors to us. Any university in the universe."  
"What was the Shadow Architect doing there, anyway?" Mum asks. "You're off the hook?"  
"The last of the 456 escaped, so she was telling us to keep our eyes open."  
"Right."  
"Anyway, they both think that we can take our A-levels in June, go to university a year early. Mum? Mummy?"

"And you think that now is the right time to be telling us this?" Mummy asks, exasperated. We are handcuffed to a cage with a Slitheen bomb in front of us. I can only pray that my children, Clyde, Rani and Maria are getting somewhere.  
"Bomb activation initiated. Bomb activation initiated." The Slitheen we were trying to stop walks through.  
"Goodbye, Smith-Whites! My ship is ready to go. I would offer you a lift, but you're all tied up." Rani, Maria and Clyde run into the room while Lucy stands in the doorway with Sky. Sky uses her powers to deactivate the bomb before K-9 can even get into the room. K-9 growls at the twins, who high-five each other. Jessica and Alistair are undoing our handcuffs.  
"So, Mum, Mummy, university?" Luke asks.  
"I think you two have to do what's right for you," Mum sighs.  
"So, yes," Mummy agrees. "I think you two should go if it's the right thing for you to do."

From then on, the Doctor would take me on many open days as long as they wouldn't interrupt with my learning. He hasn't changed his face yet; he's still the Doctor that he was when we met Lucy. He would take me to all sorts of planets that had a university available, including those on Earth. All of my favourites but one are on Earth. The one on the Qetesh home planet, Zelos, is beautiful. I thought about going there, but it could feel like a betrayal to Mum. After all, her species exiled her when she was little, according to the Doctor.

"_What happened?" I asked. "Why did they exile her?"  
"She was a criminal, according to them," the Doctor explained. "At the age of twenty, which is a young child for Qetesh- about a five-year-old to a human- she killed children. That's why they exiled her in the end. They imprisoned her in a ship with only a games console for company, planning to use her powers against others, so they knew how alone she felt. The next thing I knew, she was on Earth, with your mother, ever since before she was born."  
"Whoa."  
"I know."  
"So, if I go, Mum might see it as a betrayal."  
"I don't know. But you might be able to find out what happened."  
"But at the same time, I could betray Mum."  
"Talk to her about it." _

It's now nearly Christmas, and I need to get my options in. I haven't talked to Mum yet as I'm worried about what she would say if I decide that I want to go. Mummy and Luke are out. Jessica, Alistair, Sky and Lucy are with various friends, having a sleepover. "You okay?" Mum asks.  
"There's something I need to talk to you about." We sit down on the sofa in the attic. "I found this university that I like, but I feel conflicted about it."  
"Conflicted in what way, Emma? How far away is it?"  
"It's on an alien planet."  
"Are you worried about the distance it is away from us? The Doctor can always get you back in the case of an emergency."  
"It's not that." I need to be careful about what I tell Mum next. I don't want her to get angry with me. "The university… it's on your home planet. I thought you wouldn't want me to go there."  
"I don't," Mum agrees. "What happened to me there might be in the past for me, but it isn't for many of the Qetesh, particularly the adults. The children, they have forgiven me because of the good you have done, but the adults manipulate them, making them think that you will eventually turn out like I did when I was twenty. I don't want that to happen to you. If you go, the Qetesh will change you. You'll become a killer. Do you want that?"  
"That's the last thing I want. So, now all of my favourite universities are on Earth. I'll try and restrict it to England." Mum smiles. "I didn't want you to think that I would betray you. That's why I decided to talk to you first."  
"Well, I don't want you to get hurt. Believe me, when I was a child, I wanted to escape from my people."

"What happened?"  
"When I was young, I was miserable. I dreamed of having a better life than my people planned for me. The only way I could achieve that was killing. I was imprisoned in space with only a games console for company. However, when I arrived on Earth in 1538, I finally felt happy. I escaped. I've been here ever since, watching humanity grow and develop. I'm glad I could contribute to such an exceptional species, even though there have been a few hiccups along the way."  
"You mean all of the trouble we've caused?"  
"Exactly. There is no need for war. The end never justifies the means in war." Mum pulls me into a hug. "All of that loss of life was meaningless. It only taught humanity the horrors it could cause. But, I was able to contribute positively, with you, Luke, Jessica, Alistair, Sky, Lucy. Yes, by coming here, I was able to build a new life for myself. I'm not proud of what I was before, but I'm happier now than I ever would have been there."

On results day, I feel very nervous. Mr Chandra calls us over. He's holding two brown envelopes. He hands Luke's to him first, before giving mine to me. Luke opens his first. "Four A stars!" Luke grins.  
"Well done, Luke!" I hug him before opening mine.

Resistant Materials…... A*  
Creative Writing….. A*  
Physics… A  
History… A*

"Three A stars, and an A," I smile. Luke looks at my results, laughing with me. "So, we're both off to university!" We both go out to our parents, Rani, Clyde, Maria, Jessica, Alistair, Sky and Lucy.  
"Mum? Mummy?" Luke asks. "Four A stars." Mummy pulls Luke into a hug.  
"Three A stars and an A," I say. My children hug me, saying that it's impressive for my age. Clyde says that he never doubted us.  
"I'm going to Oxford!" Luke grins. "What about you, Emma?" My phone begins ringing. It's a number I don't recognise.  
"Excuse me." I move away to take the call. "Hello?"  
"Hello? Is that Emma Smith-White?"  
"Yes, who's calling?"  
"This is Dean Jones from Qetesh Academy."  
"Right, hello. I think there's been a mix-up."  
"Oh, no, no mix-up. We're offering you a place. I think you should take it."  
"I'm not interested."  
"What do you know of Nicole Jones?"  
"Who?"  
"My daughter. You know her as Ruby White."  
"My mum?"  
"Yes. You can be better than her."  
"Listen, I told you, I'm not interested, and I'm most certainly not going!" I hang up, but they call back. I reject the call, but they keep calling. I block the number before heading back.

"What was that about?" Clyde asks. My phone starts ringing again. Glancing down at the screen, I realised that the Dean got through to me again- even though I blocked the number. I growl in annoyance before explaining what happened. I reject the call, but she keeps calling back.  
"You want to get that?" Rani asks. I reject the call again. Dean Jones calls back still. I answer the call.  
"Emma, at least consider it."  
"I have considered it, and I don't want to go." I hang up, holding my breath to see if she'd call. My phone remains silent. I put it away. Instantly, my phone rings again- this time from the Shadow Architect. I answer the call.

"Emma, I am glad you decided to reject going to Qetesh Academy. They would set you more steps back than you are at the moment."  
"Well, it looks like that I'm now going to a university on Earth."  
"You don't have to go to university at this stage, or if you want to go to a university in space, I found a few that you might like."  
"I don't think people who live on Earth will recognise their qualifications."  
"They will be. If you decide to go, you will start in January so you will have several months to prepare yourself."  
"I'll think about it. What is the university called?"  
"Hybrid Academy. You'll find many young people like you and Luke. I think you'll fit in there." The Shadow Architect hangs up, and I tell the group what happened and that I'll look into it.

FOUR DAYS UNTIL LUKE LEAVES…

Luke is packing up his room, taking his time. I help Jessica, Alistair, Sky and Lucy get ready to go to school. "It won't be the same without you, Mummy," Sky tells me.  
"I know, Sky," I agree. "We have a few months until then. Well, I think that's you four ready." I give them their bags. "Have a nice day."  
"You too," my children agree before they hurry out of the door to catch up with Rani. Slowly, I head up to the attic. It seems strange not having the children running about the house when there isn't an alien invasion that nearly blows us up.

Luke wanted to do his A-levels a year early so he could get into Oxford. I don't know what I want to do. Now, I don't think that university's right for me- not yet, anyway.

When I enter the attic, Luke is already there. Mummy is getting Mr Smith to analyse something, hoping to find its origins. Mum is doing some work on the computer. "Oh, Emma, I was about to call you," Mummy smiles. "I thought we would have… scrambled eggs."  
"I guess I should watch," Luke agrees. "This time next week, I'll be making my own breakfast."  
"Alien object of Alphamatraxan origin," Mr Smith announces as Mum turns the computer off.  
"I just saw Rani."  
"Oh, the first day back at school, isn't it?" Mum asks. "It must seem so strange that you two aren't with them."  
"Yeah," Luke and I chorus.  
"Soon you won't have to put up with us doing the twin vibe," I joke.  
"We'll probably get it from Jessica, Alistair, Sky and Lucy," Mummy agrees.

"Mum, Mummy, have I made the right choice?" Luke asks.  
"God, I thought that was just me!" I exclaim. Luke grins.  
"Of course you have," Mummy tells us. "Remember your first day at Park Vale? You both were terrified. That turned out all right."  
"We were attacked by Slitheen," Luke and I say.  
"Yeah, well, apart from that."  
"They switched off the sun."  
"Yes, and apart from that. Listen, Luke, Emma, you're allowed to be nervous. You're only human."  
"Half human."  
"Well, close enough." Mummy walks back down to Mr Smith.

"Are you sure about scrambled eggs?" Mum asks, cheekily. "Don't you remember that you're banned from cooking in the kitchen?"  
"I'm sure I can manage; thank you." Mummy and Luke head downstairs.  
"I bet there's going to be a fire," I predict. A few minutes later, the fire alarm goes off.  
"You thought right," Mum laughs as we head downstairs to put the fire out with the fire extinguisher.

After the disaster of a breakfast, Mummy was able to blag some boxes away from Gita so Luke can continue packing. She said that Gita wanted to help, and we are all glad that Mummy was able to convince her not to. While I like Gita and everything, she's rather talkative, so everything takes far longer than it needs to take. I am in my room, deciding what to do if I don't want to go to Hybrid Academy. I don't particularly want to do it yet. I call the Shadow Architect and say that I will consider Hybrid Academy, but I don't want to go there this year. "I might take a year out," I explain. "If I want to do it after that, then I'll do it." She agrees, telling me to keep my options open.

I go up to Mr Smith, asking him about Hybrid Academy. "Hybrid Academy doesn't exist," Mr Smith tells me, concerned. "If the Shadow Architect is telling you something else, I would break all contact with her."  
"Thank you, Mr Smith."  
"I'll have to relay this information to your parents."  
"I'll go to university next year." Mum walks in, smiling. When she sees my face, she stops.

"What's the matter?" I tell her about Hybrid Academy and ask Mr Smith to find out what it is. Mr Smith says that the Shadow Proclamation set it up to get rid of troublesome hybrids. Mum pulls me into her arms.  
"But Emma's not troublesome," she whispers.  
"Unfortunately, the Shadow Proclamation see her that way." My phone begins to ring- it's the Shadow Architect. I answer it.

"Have you thought any further?" She asks.  
"I know what Hybrid Academy is. It doesn't exist. You send all troublesome hybrids there. But what happens after that? Do you kill them?" She doesn't answer. "Well, that answers my question. I bet you don't want this little secret getting out, do you?" Again, the Shadow Architect doesn't answer. "I can blow this sky-high; I can tell the universe."  
"No."  
"Then you'd better do what I say. Speak to you soon." I hang up.

"You're blackmailing the Shadow Architect?" Mum asks. "That's a dangerous game, Emma." I nod, but I don't want to think about it.  
"Come on, Mum. What's the worst they could do?"  
"How about locking you up again? Or worse, murdering you? I know you don't want to go to whatever Hybrid Academy is, but you need to tread carefully with the Shadow Architect." I nod, not taking anything in.

Mummy and Luke walk in, and we tell them what happened. "Emma, why are you doing this?" Mummy asks. "Is it because the Shadow Architect locked you up?"  
"No, it's because I know if I don't destroy whatever Hybrid Academy is, then more alien hybrids could die or go missing and never return. They might have loving families who wouldn't bear it if they died. We can't let the Shadow Proclamation do this." Luke smiles.  
"Always the protective one, it's got to be that motherly instinct."  
"I think it is."

That night, Luke runs into my room, terrified. I flick the light on, worried. "Luke? Oh, whatever's the matter?"  
"I had a nightmare. Mum and Mummy were telling K-9 how having me back in their lives was the biggest mistake of their lives."  
"Now, that can't be true. Mum and Mummy love you very much; you're their son!"  
"Could the nightmares be starting because I'm afraid to go to Oxford? I keep on thinking that if I go, something bad will happen."  
"When did that start?"  
"When I got my results."  
"But you seemed so excited, so happy. Why?"

"I can't bear leaving you. That's what it is. We're twins, Emma. We shouldn't have to part like this. I know it will happen someday, but it's too soon. You'll say that we've done it once before, but I can't bear to lose you again." Tears build up in Luke's eyes. "During those months while you were with the Shadow Proclamation, I contemplated suicide. When you came back, my world lit up. You are the light in my universe."  
"And you're the light in mine, Luke." Luke takes my hand. "Let's make a promise, that no matter where we go, no matter what we do, we always remember each other. If we can do that, it will be like we are with the other, no matter what happens. We need to think about what the other person might say and do in a situation."

THREE DAYS UNTIL LUKE LEAVES…

In the morning, Rani meets us in the hallway, asking Luke if our parents are freaking out much by the fact that he's going. At that point, Luke admits that he had another nightmare- about me, this time. I ask him what happened, at which he tells me that I was marrying someone else. I seemed happy, but I forgot all about Luke.  
"Obviously!" Rani exclaims. "Maybe you're scared about Friday? You're growing up, so maybe that activated the dream switch?"  
"I checked as soon as Luke told me about the second dream," Jessica says. "It does happen in a year."  
"Can you give us a specific time or place?"  
"All I know is that it happens in London, but no known date yet."  
"Well, keep trying. Something might come up. Whatever you decide to do, Luke that will happen." Mummy retrieves her handbag from Mum before she takes Luke out. Rani, Jessica, Alistair, Sky and Lucy head off to school. I talk to Mum about what Luke saw, and Mum tells me not to worry about it.

That night, Luke is back in my room after another nightmare. "Are you in a relationship with anyone else other than the Doctor?"  
"Don't be ridiculous!"

I wish I could help Luke, but I don't know how. I hug him, and he hugs me back. "Are you certain?"  
"I promise," I smile. "I will not betray the Doctor nor my family."

TWO DAYS UNTIL LUKE LEAVES…

"Morning," Mummy calls when Luke enters the attic. Luke looks nervous as he tells them about the nightmares he's had as well as the Nightmare Man.  
"He said that the ones concerning Emma would come true as they are about the future." Mum sighs.  
"Did he say when it would take place?"  
"This year, I think." Mr Smith scans Luke, but can't find any abnormalities. Mum and Mummy begin to grow concerned.  
"Emma, maybe you play it safe for now."  
"You know that won't happen."

Luke and I are at a party at Park Vale arranged by my children, Clyde, Rani and Maria to celebrate Luke going to Oxford. Part way through the party, Luke falls asleep, only to have another nightmare. He also has a nightmare that night. It was Rani who told me about it. Luke's nightmares concern me, why is he having them now?


	2. The Nightmare Man Part 2

LUKE LEAVES TOMORROW…

On Thursday evening, we are having a party as Luke is leaving for Oxford. "Here's to Luke's last night on Bannerman Road," Rani says.  
"Cheers," Mummy agrees. Luke mumbles it. I know what's the matter, but I wish he could tell someone else so we can sort whatever is going on.

Soon after I tuck my children into bed, I meet Mum and Mummy out on the landing. "I'm worried about Luke," I say. "He's been having nightmares; he's scared about leaving. It's understandable as we're both only kids."  
"I know," Mummy agrees. "I can't help feeling that I've forced him into this."  
"I'm the same," Mum agrees. "I know Luke is going tomorrow, but maybe we should talk to him, ask him if he thinks that he's doing the right thing. Why don't you go to bed, Emma? We'll sort this out." I nod, before wishing them good night and heading into my room.

Slowly, I open the window since my room is stuffy. The night is warm, and the stars are twinkling. I turn away so I can examine a photograph that Mum took over the summer of Luke and me. We are laughing, having fun. It's a long time since I had fun. Maybe I can soon have fun again.

"Mummy?" Jessica asks from the doorway. I turn to look at my children.  
"What can I do for you all?"  
"The Nightmare Man is coming. We don't want to sleep."  
"Why don't you join me?" I offer. They sit on my bed as I find a story to read to them.  
"We don't want a story," Alistair moans.  
"Then, what are you after?" The four of them look a little uncomfortable. "What is it? You can tell me."  
"We want you to get out of here."  
"I'm not going without my family."  
"Your grandmother wants to kill you. If you don't go now, she'll get what she wants."  
"But where will I go? It's too late to sign up for a university course unless I go through Clearing."  
"Not unless you go to Qetesh Academy."  
"If I go, I will betray Mum. I don't want to do that."

"What are you talking about?" Mum asks from the doorway. We all freeze. "Emma, are you leaving?" My children bring her up to date with what is going on and how they want me to go to safety and suggest Qetesh Academy. "No," Mum says at once. "It's dangerous."  
"How?" I ask. "You never once explained."  
"No, I didn't," she agrees, sitting me down on the bed. Jessica gestures for her siblings to leave and the four of them go to their room.

"The Qetesh are dangerous. I don't mind you going to university if your children think that my mother is going to kill you, but she's a Qetesh, like the rest of them. I went to Qetesh Academy when I was a little girl, a little bit older than you. While I was there, I learnt horrible things, how to kill and the like. They force you to do it, whether you want to or not, they don't care about your opinion. They change you from children into monsters, and you are not going to like them. I don't think they've changed since I went, all of the rules are still the same when I last checked."  
"When did you last check?"  
"A couple of years ago. I'll go and check with Mr Smith."  
"I'll come with you."

When we enter the attic with Mummy, we find that Luke is asleep. As Mummy tucks in him, Mum quietly calls out Mr Smith and asks him about Qetesh Academy. "In August, the Reformed Party overthrew the Royal Family. They believe in the choice to decide whether to kill or not as well as allowing Qetesh hybrids into their society. Qetesh Academy also was overhauled, and the curriculum changed, allowing hybrids and Qetesh to choose the sort of people they want to become. Learning how to hunt is only mandatory in the first year, at which they only cover the basics."  
"What about the curriculum?" I ask. "What does it include?"  
"It's included in the Student Handbook, sent to each student who wants to attend."  
"I turned it down," I say.  
"The new Dean was persistent with you because you were the only hybrid that wanted to go." I run downstairs to grab my phone.

As soon as I reach the kid's room, I peek in. All of them are asleep. I smile, considering what happened earlier, I thought they wouldn't have. I head into my room, grabbing my phone. Looking through the list of blocked numbers, I find the one for Qetesh Academy. I run upstairs, remembering the conversation I had with the Dean on results day. "The old dean was overthrown after results day," Mr Smith explains. "She is your grandmother, and she arrived on Earth to kill the Smith-Whites."  
"We need to leave Earth," I realise.  
"You do," Mr Smith corrects. "Your engagement ring protects all of your family and friends, but it doesn't protect you. If you leave, you will be safe."  
"So, I'll be better off with going?" Mr Smith agrees. I unblock the number and call it.

"Hello, Qetesh Academy, this is Dean Angelica Smith, how can I help you?"  
"Hello, Dean Smith, this is Emma Smith-White."  
"Aah, yes, I've heard a lot about you. I'm sorry if our last Dean annoyed you."  
"That's all right. The old dean is on Earth, and my family think that she wants to kill us."  
"I see. You were offered a place here starting in Late September. Do you want to enrol?"  
"YES!"  
"I'll take that as a yes," Dean Smith laughs. "You'll receive your handbook tomorrow morning."  
"Thanks," I smile.  
"Our curriculum has changed a lot, and I hope you will enjoy your time here."  
"I'm sure I will, thanks."  
"Anyway, I'm sure you should be asleep right now, young lady. It's past midnight in London."  
"I know, we've got a bit of a crisis at the moment, which is why I'm still awake."  
"I'll let you off for that one. Anyway, I've got a bit of work to do, but I'll look forward to seeing you later."  
"Yes," I agree. "Thank you. Goodbye."  
"Goodbye," the dean agrees, hanging up. I turn to my parents, smiling.

"All sorted?" Mummy asks as she begins playing back the video on the camera.  
"Yes, I'll be starting at the end of September, so that will be plenty of time to sort out. I'll get my handbook tomorrow morning." We all sit on the stair to watch the video.

"_Our world has always been full of nightmares, creatures and alien who want to destroy us. But we've always been protected. The Doctor. His friends. My mums. My sister. But tonight… tonight I don't think anyone can save us. The world's going to end, and it's my fault because he's coming for me, you see? He's been waiting for me for years, and this week, he…" _Luke trails off. _"I can hear him. He's coming. So, if you're watching, just keep watching, because… He's the Nightmare Man, and I can't stop him. Mum, Mummy, Emma, I'm sorry. That's why I'm trying so hard to stay awake… No…" _On the screen, Luke falls asleep, and an image of a creepy clown-like figure appears.  
"That must be the Nightmare Man," Mum realises as Mummy tries to wake Luke up. My eyelids begin to flicker. It's been a long day, and it's past midnight…

I wake up on the sofa, trying to work out what is going on, my head hurting like crazy. Looking up at the mantelpiece, I spot photographs. I pick the first one up- it's my children and the Doctor. I smile when I think of the Doctor. She's an amazing woman, and I most certainly won't be the girl I am today without her.

"Hey, Emma," I turn to the doorway to find the Doctor standing there.  
"Doctor!" I run into her open arms. "I don't know where I am."  
"That's all right now. The Nightmare Man's getting annoyed because I'm in your nightmare, but I'm going to help you. Whatever anyone tells you here, it isn't real."  
"I haven't seen anyone else yet."  
"You look a sight for sore eyes." I look in the mirror. My hair looks like it hasn't been washed, let alone brushed, for months. Bags are forming under my eyes. Slowly, with shaking hands, I lift up my top to find that I'm wasting away.  
"What's happening to me?" The Doctor begins fading away.  
"I'm sorry, I can't stay. We can't afford the Nightmare Man entering the TARDIS."  
"I understand. Come back to me soon?"  
"Of course." The Doctor fades out of the doorway.

I find my phone opening it. I try searching for my parents' numbers, only they aren't there. I memorise Mummy's mobile number, typing it in and press the dial button. "Hello?"  
"Mummy?"  
"Emma, is that you?" Mummy asks, sounding concerned.  
"Yes, it's me."  
"I thought you didn't want to call."  
"Of course, I would." I pause. "Is something wrong?"  
"You didn't want to call us ever since your children died. Is something the matter?"  
"What? What did you say about my children?"  
"They're dead. Your children died a few years ago." I drop my phone in shock and horror. "Emma? Emma, can you hear me?" I retrieve my phone, ending the call. Placing my phone on the mantelpiece, I turn back to the doorway to find the Doctor standing there.

"I know how to get you out of this. I found Luke, standing in a corridor full of red doors, I think they're like the ones at Park Vale if I remember rightly."  
"So, all I have to do is join him?"  
"Yep. I'm already there with K-9, so I'll see you on the other side." I smile as she vanishes. I imagine a door like the ones at school, and a red door appears. I smile before running through it, ending up in a dark corridor.

"I told you your sister was fine," the Doctor smiles as Luke hugs me. Clyde, Rani and Maria are already there, shortly joined by my children. I slam the door on my nightmare, smiling.  
"We did it!" Luke grins. We all smile back.  
"Reminder," K-9 chirrups. "We need to defeat the Nightmare Man."  
"The what now?" Rani asks, confused. K-9 disappears.

"NO!" Luke yells.  
"He's too far gone, I can't reach him," Alistair says. "He's back in the real world."  
"Then we bring the Nightmare Man here," I say. "If we can draw him back, we can kill him."  
"Are you serious about killing him?" Rani asks.  
"Let's just say I've been having problems with my hunger since the 456 left. NIGHTMARE MAN! COME HERE AND FACE ME!"  
"NIGHTMARE MAN!" Rani yells. We all begin calling his name over and over again. Eventually, he storms into the corridor.  
"You are all going back into your nightmares, where you belong."

"There's something you forgot," I remind him. "This is a dream. Not even you have control in this dimension, but I know someone who does."  
"You're bluffing."  
"You think? Let's say I'm an acquaintance with a species that knows about the dream dimension. They don't like me as I didn't let them get what they want. However, they taught me how to build a mental wall between my enemies so they can't get to me. Even though we don't see eye to eye, and they had the nerve to escape from the Shadow Proclamation. They are the master of you, yet you don't want to believe it. For once, and the only time ever, I'll do a favour for them, if I'm right about who they are."

"Nope." Mum is standing in the corridor. "The Qetesh created the dream world about a million years ago when dreams began. They left me in charge of this dimension when I was born."  
"Why didn't you tell us?" Luke asks. "You could've trusted us."  
"Not when the Nightmare Man began to haunt your dreams. You might have thought that I put him up to it."  
"Obviously not."

"I'm in command of myself," the Nightmare Man says. "You are of no consequence." The Nightmare Man tries to use his powers on Mum but fails.  
"That is your only warning. I've shorted your power for the time being. Leave my family and friends along, or I will let my daughter kill you."  
"You'll put Emma on the front line to save your family?"  
"I decided to put myself on the front line," I retort. "I offered." Mum nods. "You must have kept talking about yourself to my twin, what you wanted."

"My twin's right, well I'm called Luke Smith-White, and I am the son of Sarah Jane Smith and Ruby Ann White. I was kidnapped by aliens who wanted to destroy Earth, but they found me. They found another- my spectacular sister. Then, she found more. A boy called Clyde, two girls called Rani and Maria. Then, there are her fantastic children, four children I'm proud to call my nieces and nephew. There are millions more out there, including my future sister-in-law, and they are all fantastic. This world has faced so many nightmares, like the 456, but we all stood up to them, we told them we are not backing down, we've always stopped the nightmares. You know, I was so scared because I thought my mates and sister wouldn't be there for me. Never mind Oxford, they followed me into my nightmares. A group of kids, a Time Lord and a Qetesh breaking down the walls of dreams to be together, something no one's ever done before because together, we're unbeatable!"

The Nightmare Man laughs at Luke's speech. "Very good. But do you think words can stop a creature… like me?"  
"I WASN'T TALKING TO YOU!" Luke turns to us. I grab his hand, which he grips tightly.  
"He's right," Lucy agrees as we all join hands. "When we're together, we stop the monsters!"  
"We stop the nightmares!" Mum agrees.  
"Together, we're stronger than you, unbeatable."  
"When we're together, we're not scared," Luke agrees. "You've got no hold over us now."  
"Cos we're brilliant when we're together," I nod.  
"GET AWAY FROM ME!" The Nightmare Man yells.  
"So, there we go," Mum nods, triumphant. "The aliens, hybrids and humans who are meant to be enemies, unite to save the universe yet again!" The Nightmare Man grabs onto the wall too late, vanishing into Clyde's nightmare.

The Nightmare Man appears in Clyde's nightmare. "Oh, hello, love," an older Sarah Jane smiles, putting her knitting down. The terrifying creature of the night freezes in horror at the sight before him as Ruby enters, placing a hand on the younger woman's shoulder. He turns to find the doorway vanished.  
"NO! I can't be trapped here! This can't happen to me!" He aims for the exit, only to find that the exit doesn't exist. "LET ME OUT! Children of Earth, I demand you sleep, and you dream, and you fear! YOU WILL FEAR ME!"  
"Come on, come and sit down," Ruby smiles.  
"Yes, we'll tell you all about our bright, beautiful children."  
"No," the Nightmare Man breathes.  
"Their names are Luke and Emma Smith-White, and they are going to live happily ever after."  
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

"You did it," I congratulate Luke.  
"No, we did it. Now, let's get out of here."  
"Yeah," Clyde agrees. "Time to wake up." Luke slyly pinches him. "OW!"

Luke is the first person to wake up, and I follow a few seconds later. "Mistress?" K-9 asks.  
"Sarah Jane?" Mum wakes up. Luke and I stand.  
"Oh, I thought I lost you!" Mummy pulls us into a hug. "I'm so glad you're all okay."  
"Yeah," Luke agrees. "Mr Smith, send an email to the dean of the University of Oxford. Tell them I'm going elsewhere."  
"But Luke, what are you going to do?" Mr Smith enquires.  
"I'll go with my sister. I think after what happened, we won't be able to bear it if we're apart again." I pull Luke into a hug.  
"Luke?" Rani asks. "Emma?"  
"We'll go and check on the others," I smile, leading Luke out of the room.

Jessica, Alistair, Sky and Lucy are with Clyde, Rani and Maria. "I'm going at the end of September," Luke says. "I'm going to Qetesh Academy with Emma."  
"There's part of the curriculum that requires you to know about the history of your country, specifically one person in history," Jessica explains. "It's in the first year."  
"That will be cool," Luke smiles. "I don't know who I'll do. What do you think, Emma? Who will you do?"  
"I know exactly who I'll do."  
"Who?"

"Anne Lister."  
"Who's she?" Sky asks, surprised.  
"You mean you never heard of Anne Lister?" Alistair asks. They begin talking as I slip away with Luke.

A few weeks later

"You all set, then?" Rani asks as she and Maria walk us up to the drive. I nod quietly.  
"Yeah," Luke agrees. We hug Rani and Maria goodbye when Clyde comes out with K-9, and Luke helps him place the metal dog in his car.  
"You will call, won't you?" Clyde asks. "And, drive safe until you reach your destination, and Emma, you better fly safely too."  
"I know," we chorus. I move aside so Luke and Clyde can talk.

"Just…" Clyde begins, "don't forget me, will you? Whatever you go and do… don't forget me. I'm your best mate. Always."  
"Don't worry, Clyde. I'll remember," Luke promises, pulling Clyde into a hug.

"I don't think I want to leave," Luke admits.  
"I don't either," I agree. "But I have to go. You don't have to come with me."  
"Are you sure you can't stay?"  
"I could, but our grandmother would kill me."  
"I'm sure Mum or the Doctor will protect you."  
"But what will it look like to Qetesh Academy if we now say that we don't want to go? It will look bad on us."  
"We can ask if we can defer it for a couple of years until we're ready, say we acted on impulse because of our grandmother."  
"Yes, but that doesn't change the fact that she's still here."  
"We can fight her."  
"Yes, but it will then it will come around to bite us on the bum. Seriously, Luke, we have to think about this. We have to work out what we want to fight for."  
"This isn't fighting, this is running away. You know, I used to look up to you, but if you're going to run without a fight this time, maybe I thought all of this wrong. You're not a hero, you're a coward."  
"Luke-"  
"Don't you have a school to get to?"  
"Luke, please, let me explain!"  
"You're running away, what else is there to explain? Admit it, Emma, you've always let others handle the dirty work so that you didn't have to, but no more. Do you hear me? You've got to figure this out and sort out our grandmother. If you do, I'll start respecting you again. When you kill our grandmother, I'll happily call you my sister and never question your judgement again."

"Very well," I agree. "I guess you'd better have these to make sure I can't get away." I give him my car keys. "I'll need a few days to come up with a plan, but you'll be the one telling our parents that we're not going. Clyde, tell the others not to disturb me for whatever reason."  
"Yeah," Clyde agrees as I hurry up into my room, slamming the door.

Luke knocks on the door a few minutes later. "Emma? I want to apologise for what I said."  
"There's no need, you made me realise what's important, and that's family. You're right, I was running away, I was only thinking of myself. What my family thinks of me, my friends, that's far more important than any university. So what if I screw up my life just this once? I can give it another go in a few years. We can defer going to uni, we're both kids, after all."  
"So, you're definitely staying?"  
"If you want me to, yes." Luke pulls me into a hug as K-9 rolls in.

"Are you ready, Luke?"  
"Yes. Are you?"  
"Affirmative." Luke chuckles. "Well, let's show our grandma what's in store when people try to mess with us." We head over to my desk and I pull out a clean sheet of paper as we begin discussing ideas.


	3. Death of the Doctor

Luke started sleeping in with me now that we are plotting to kill our grandmother. We instructed K-9 to not tell anyone about it, and so far, he's kept his word. "The Doctor will hate us," Luke moans.  
"He might do," I agree, quietly. "But if that is the case, why did the Doctor give me her engagement ring?" That perks us both up a little.  
"The female Qetesh are known as soul stealers, right?"  
"Right."  
"How much practice have you had killing?"  
"The last time I hunted is 2006 before I turned seven. I need more practice, and I'll need to kill something more… human." Luke nods, thinking about it.  
"I could take you to the woods so you can practice." I nod, smiling.  
"Okay, let's go!" Luke grabs his car keys, and we're about to run downstairs when we're cornered by Mum. "What's going on?"  
"UNIT's here." We hurry down the stairs to join everyone on the driveway.

"STOP RIGHT THERE!" Mummy yells as we walk out. A UNIT officer approaches us. "I will not have soldiers on my property."  
"Everything all right?" Haresh calls from the other side of the street. Alan had asked him to help out with the garden while Gita hogged the kitchen table doing goodness knows what.  
"Yes, fine, they're just leaving."  
"Sarah Jane Smith, my name is Colonel Tia Karim representing the Unified Intelligence Taskforce, if I could have a word in private?" I notice that everyone is gathering around the house, whispering.  
"No, no, no," Mum interrupts. "You're not getting any closer. Just tell us, what do you want?"  
"I'm sorry, but it's my solemn duty to inform you that your friend, the Doctor, is dead."  
"Don't be stupid," Alistair growls. "The Doctor must be alive, or Jessica and I won't be here. Besides, this is an obvious trap. We've met a future incarnation, we know that the Doctor is NOT DEAD."  
"Yeah, I have to agree with you on that one." I turn back to Karim. "We're not buying your lies. You've come here for another reason, what is it?"

"I know that you are the Doctor's fiancée," she says. "I need you and your children to come with me to UNIT." Another woman storms onto the scene.  
"Karim," she barks. "What are you doing?"  
"I'm doing my duty."  
"Then you would know that you are not needed here, the Doctor is alive, but the Shansheeth you are cooperating with has stolen his TARDIS. I need you to return it."  
"I can't."  
"Yes, you can."  
"No, I can't, the TARDIS locked us out." I look at the crowd forming, and I feel like I recognise one of the women in the crowd, but she isn't a neighbour.

It's my grandmother.

Unless I kill her, it looks like it will be my funeral.

Luke notices her as well, he nods, confirming her identity. We both look at her, worried. She stares right at me, into my soul. My sight begins to blur, the voices muffling like I'm underwater. My legs feel like noodles, and I collapse into Luke's arms.

I wake up at UNIT headquarters in Snowdon. "What happened?" I ask.  
"You fainted," the woman from earlier tells me. "After reading your work, I wanted to meet you properly, but I didn't expect this to happen."  
"My grandmother, she was there, I have to-"  
"Ruby's already talking to her; hopefully she'll leave the planet."  
"She's not going to, she's got my life essence. I need it back."  
"Ruby will try and sort that out as well. Sorry, let me introduce myself. I'm Kate Stewart, the Brigadier's daughter."  
"Right, yes, our parents were friends," I recall from stories that Mum and Mummy told me when I was little.  
"That's right. I've read so much of your work, and I've become quite a fan."  
"Thank you."  
"Now, I've brought you here, so you're safe from your grandmother. The only other people who can come in here are Osgood, my personal assistant, and your family and friends." I smile at Kate, glad to have her there. A few minutes later, my children come in.

"Have you seen the news?" Jessica asks, flicking it on.  
"An astonishing announcement from the UK as parliament declares that the youngest age of marriage is now eleven, but only for children who are in dire circumstances, so either if they are about to die or if they have been engaged to someone else and can't wait any longer to marry. However, their marriage can't interfere with their education, and if they are under the age of sixteen, both members within the marriage have to live with their parents."  
"Eleven?" I repeat. "Good God, what have they got themselves into?" I chuckle. "They'll be regretting it soon enough."  
"They've also allowed same-sex marriages," Lucy adds.  
"Well, that's something, but I've got to wait a few months at least."

"Emma?" Kate asks. "This room can only hold your grandmother out for so long. There's only one place where your grandmother can't follow you."  
"Where?"  
"You'll need to leave the country, go deep undercover. Can you do that?"  
"Where is it?"  
"Can you go undercover or not?"  
"Yes."  
"The Doctor will take you back in time since your grandmother can't time travel. You'll go by the name Aimee Winters. Try and blend in." Kate leaves. I want to choose where I go, but what if I don't have the choice?

Mum walks in a few minutes later, giving me my life essence now. "While my mother has agreed to provide you with your life essence, she hasn't agreed to leave the planet or stop hunting you. We need a plan so we can stop her."  
"Luke and I thought about killing her, but Kate's insisting that I run and go back in time."  
"Well, she doesn't know you very well, but running could be an option."

Kate returns. "I'm not running. Not this time."  
"Emma…"  
"No, I'm not. I'm not letting my grandmother win. I won't!"  
"Maybe you have to, this time," she sighs. "We're doing this for your own good. Aimee, please." I realise that I have to start going by the name Aimee.  
"I don't want to go."  
"We'll fight your grandmother for you," Mum promises. "As soon as it's safe, we'll come for you."  
"You won't be able to get me out easily."  
"The Doctor can, I promise."

"Ruby's right," the Doctor says as she pokes her head out of the door. "As I know your undercover name, I can easily get to you." I smile, throwing my arms around her. "I've already organised your "belongings" as you can't take anything that may identify you as anyone other than Aimee Winters."

A day later, Martha comes in to see me. "Hey, Aimee, remember me?"  
"Martha!" I hug her tightly. "I can't believe you're here." I call the Doctor.  
"Hello, Emma," the Doctor says. It's my Doctor.  
"Doctor, I need your help."  
"Right, what do you need?"  
"I need you to take me to Tudor England. I'll be safe from my grandmother there."  
"Of course, I'll be there in a few moments," the Doctor hangs up. I smile.  
"All sorted. My family can help UNIT get rid of my grandmother." Martha nods.  
"I should have realised you'd do something like that." The Doctor arrives and brings me into the TARDIS.

"Emma, I'm going to give you plenty of clothes from the Tudor era, so you look acceptable at Court. I want you to marry so that you have a sense of security, okay?" I nod in response. "I'll come for you as soon as your grandmother is dead and so you and Luke are the same age. It might take a few years, just to give you a head's up."  
"Thanks," I smile.  
"Now, you'll arrive in January 1540 as a Lady-in-waiting to Anne of Cleves. Stay close to her, along with the next queen, Katheryn Howard." I nod. "I will want you to marry, so you have a sense of security."  
"I don't want to go. I don't want to marry anyone but you."  
"I'm sorry, Emma."  
"You're not; you want me out of harm's way. Well, I'm not going quietly!"  
"Emma, please!" I throw open the doors of the TARDIS, storming out back into my room.  
"I'd rather take the risk."

"You could die."  
"I know, but it's a risk I'm willing to take."  
"If you come with me, I can guarantee your safety. I can't guarantee your safety if you decide to face your grandmother. If you die, so can the rest of your family."  
"I don't want my children to die."  
"I know you don't."  
"Fine," I suck my teeth, annoyed. "I'll come." The Doctor pulls me into a hug before leading me into the TARDIS.  
"You'll stop ageing when you reach Tudor England, so you'll still be Luke's twin when you return." Slowly, I close my eyes as the world begins to spin.


	4. Meeting Anne of Cleves

When I get to the court, I meet the King. I curtsey, and he nods his head back at me. "I don't believe we've met."  
"I would recognise you anywhere, Your Majesty," I say. "Your handsome face is easy to pick out among the courtiers."  
"I know, but I want to know about you. What's your name?"  
"My name is Emma Smith-White, Your Majesty."  
"There is to be a new Queen, Anne of Cleves. Can you speak German?"  
"I can speak a little German, but if I have something to learn from, I can quickly catch up to speed and if necessary, help with translation."

As I learnt German at GCSE, I might be able to work with Anne of Cleves and act as a translator between her and the King until she gets up to speed with her English. I ask the King to meet her at Rochester, so I can talk to her, find out how much English she knows and inform her about what to expect at the English Court. The King agrees, and I soon cross the Channel.

I stand by the Duke of Suffolk, and I find myself surprised that Anne knows quite a bit of English, unlike the Anne of Cleves that I learnt at school. I play cards with her when we are alone with her ladies. I have some money that the King gave me as I have no family here. Anne is starting to get the hang of it and is teaching me as I never played cards before.

I tell Anne that Henry likes dressing up and surprising people, he enjoys the excitement of it. "Does the King enjoy it?"  
"He loves it. It's part of the courtly romance from what I've heard." We are playing cards again. A young man runs in, saying that a gentleman has come to bring Anne a New Years' gift. The doors open and the King enters. I whisper to Anne to pretend that she is in awe of him. Anne turns to see him. Henry stops. Anne curtseys to the King.  
"Madam." He gestures so that Anne can rise. He kisses her and seems to be lost for words afterwards. "I'm here to welcome you to my realm. I trust you are comfortable here before your journey to London?"  
"Thank you, Your Majesty."  
"I will see you, anon." Henry walks out of the room before calling for me. I hurry after him.

"What is it you need me to do, Your Majesty?"  
"I don't like her," he says. "She's not the woman I was expecting." I ride with him back to Court as he asks me to and join him in the Council- something a lady never does.

"Your Majesty, why is this girl here?" Cromwell asks.  
"Emma is here because I asked her to join us. She knows the Lady Anne, and Emma saw our interaction. Emma, is there any way to avoid my marriage to Lady Anne?"  
"Sire, until we know for sure that the French King and the Emperor will not attack England and break their alliance, the marriage will bring us an ally. She does have a pre-contract with the son of the Duke of Lorraine, but at this stage, it will be better for you to marry the Lady Anne."  
"I like her not, Emma!"  
"I understand, and I apologise if my information upsets you. We can't jeopardise the alliance at this stage, so it will be better to go through with the marriage at this stage rather than risking an impending invasion by the combined French and Spanish." Henry nods.  
"My Lord Cromwell, did you not tell me of her beauty and the desirability of this marriage?"  
"Yes, Your Majesty. If Your Majesty is offended by my false reports, I am truly sorry for it. Emma is right, the King and the Emperor renewed their alliance, and so we must make good of ours until we know for certain. I'm sorry, Your Majesty, there's no way out of this marriage." Henry leaves.

A few days after the marriage, the King asks to see me. "How do you know about the pre-contract between Anne of Cleves and the son of the Duke of Lorraine?"  
"Your Majesty, my knowledge is not something I can share, unfortunately. If I could share it with anyone, I would."  
"Yet you know of it, how?"  
"Even if I speak a word of what I know-" The King pushes me against the wall.  
"What do you know, Emma? Where are you even from?"  
"I'M FROM THE FUTURE!"  
"What?"

"I've come from the future, separated from my family and against my will, brought to the Court to serve the Lady Anne."  
"What year is it, where you come from?"  
"2010, nearly 500 years in the future. The Doctor forced me to come so I would be safe. I even have children in the future. I miss them more than anything."  
"Your children?" I nod, explaining the situation as best as I could. "How old are you?"  
"Ten, I'm going to be eleven in February."  
"WHAT? Why do you have children at that age?"  
"I didn't want to get rid of my first two, and I adopted the youngest twins," I tell him about the future as best as I can without creating a paradox. Henry seems interested.

When I return to the Queen, I try to explain to her about the King and his wishes. "I think he wants an annulment."  
"We never consummated our marriage," Anne agrees in German. "He seems attracted to you."  
"I'm too young to be married. Even though I don't look it, I'm only ten. The King's eye will wander soon. If you want to keep your head, whatever settlement he offers you, you must take it and act agreeable."  
"I will do as the King wishes," she agrees. "I'm glad to have heard it from you before anyone else."  
"The French and Spanish at fighting again, so the King will try to dissolve his marriage to you."

I meet Katheryn Howard, a new lady-in-waiting to Anne of Cleves. We both get on well, and we share the same room. "How do you like court, Katheryn?"  
"I love it. I never imagined anything so exciting and grand."  
"That's what I first thought when I came here." We sit on our shared bed.  
"The King asked to see me earlier. He's giving me some land. Will you come with me when I go?"  
"The Queen might need me here, Katheryn."  
"I know, but you seem like a good person."

Henry asks me to go with Katheryn when she leaves. "I've talked to him," Katheryn reveals. "It looked like you wanted a friend."  
"I'm glad you spoke up. I haven't got a friend at court."  
"Well, I'll be your friend."  
"Can you keep a secret?"  
"Of course. Can you?"  
"Yes. You first."  
"No, you brought it up!"

"I've got a few secrets," I say. "First, for you to become my friend, you must know that I'm from the future."  
"The future? How far?"  
"The year was 2010." I close my eyes. "My twin was going to help me kill my grandmother. The Doctor, my fiancée, brought me here. At least the King doesn't view me as a suitable wife yet since I'm too young. If he did, I'd be worried."  
"He thinks I'm a suitable wife, at least, I think he does."  
"You need to be truthful with me. Have you had any sexual relationships before you came to court?"  
"Yes. There was my music teacher, Henry Mannox, and a secretary, Francis Dereham."  
"You can't talk about it anymore. You can't see anyone sexually or romantically when you're married to the King. It's a dangerous game, Katheryn."

"You said about a secret," Katheryn reminds me. I nod, opening my eyes. I look around the room in Katheryn's new house.  
"I'm not into men, neither romantically or sexually. In the time I'm from, it's legal. Here it's not, that's why it has to be a secret."  
"I'll keep your secret, cross my heart and hope to die."  
"Thanks, Katheryn. You too said you had a secret."  
"That's right," she agrees. "I think… I think I'm like you. I don't like men romantically or sexually. I prefer women."  
"You don't want Henry finding out."  
"No. I asked you to come if you wanted to, you know, get it on. Have you done it with a woman before?"  
"Four years ago," I admit. "I was six."  
"Your ten?"  
"Eleven now."

Katheryn strokes my cheek. "We'll have to keep this between ourselves."  
"I agree." She begins kissing me. I'm caught off guard, but start kissing back, passionately. Katheryn begins unlacing my dress. I tap her hand away. "I'd rather not go that far yet."  
"But that's not exciting."  
"I know," I smile. "When you marry Henry, we'll have to break off our relationship." Katheryn pouts.  
"I can refuse him."  
"That's not a good plan."  
"I can tell him the truth."  
"Are you kidding? He could kill us."

When Henry visits, Katheryn talks to him. His eyes flicker to me before calling me over. "I hear that Katheryn is rather attached to you, Miss Emma. Do you feel the same way?" I glance at Katheryn, who nods.  
"I think I do, Your Majesty." Henry groans. He glances at us both.  
"I'm glad you were truthful with me, Katheryn." He glances out of the window into the darkness of the Thames. "I cannot deny how much you two love each other. However, this sort of love is illegal and not recognised by God."  
"It is where I-" Henry stops me, a dagger to my throat. I whimper in terror.  
"Then go back to where you come from."  
"I can't. I don't know how. I was forced to come to Court against my will. I was happy before coming here."  
"And now you want to deny me my love for Katheryn?"  
"It should be her choice."

That night, Katheryn is out on the swing, naked. "Do you want to join me, Emma?" She asks. Henry is lying in bed. I sit beside her, fully clothed.  
"Well? What did he say?"  
"He found nothing in the New Testament condemning our relationship. However, he still wants to marry me. I told him about my past, and that I'll disclose all of my sexual relationships when we marry- except for my relationship with you. He was not happy."  
"I'm not surprised." Katheryn kicks her legs back, laughing. I join in with her, giggling.


	5. Marrying Katheryn

Cromwell is dead after he failed to get a divorce for the King. Now, Katheryn is Queen of England. I notice how she's not acting like a Queen, and I have a desire to leave Court. However, the Doctor told me to stay close to her. Carefully, I walk over to the King and ask if I can speak to him in private. "Of course," the King agrees, leading me into a separate room away from the Court. "What is it, Emma?"  
"I don't think I have romantic attractions to the Queen anymore, and I wish to leave Court."  
"Where would you go?"  
"I would like to be employed by Lady Mary, your daughter."  
"Why do you want to enter the employment of my daughter? You don't have romantic attractions for her, do you?"  
"No, Your Majesty. However, she is intelligent, and I can learn a lot of things from her. Please, Your Majesty."  
"Of course you can serve her, but I think Katheryn will be sorry to lose you." I nod, curtseying deeply before leaving.

"Are you Emma Smith-White?" Mary asks. I nod, curtseying. "The King has talked to me, and despite our differences, I would be honoured to have you in my household."  
"Thank you, Lady Mary. I will not let you down."  
"As long as you try to be a good girl, despite your sexual desires, you will make me proud." Smiling, I curtsey to her before continuing with my needlework.

By Christmas, I am with the Lady Mary, serving her as well as I can despite our religious differences. She calls me into her chamber one day. I curtsey to her since she has a higher position than me. "Lady Emma, how are you settling in?"  
"Very well, my Lady. I much enjoy serving you and hope that God will make me worthy of serving you for many years to come."  
"Despite our religious differences?"  
"That's right, my Lady. I've always admired your mother, Catherine of Aragon, for her strength not only during 'The King's Great Matter' but also when commanding her troops at the Battle of Flodden. She was a woman who deserved admiration."  
"The King said, before you came into my employment, that you come from the future. Is this true?"  
"That's true, my Lady. However, I do not wish our differences to stop me from serving you to the best of my capabilities."  
"Do you know any Spanish?"  
"I'm afraid not, my Lady, but I'm prepared to learn if that's what you wish." Lady Mary smiles, encouraging me to sit.  
"What about Latin?"  
"I don't know Latin either."  
"Why don't we go over the basics?" I nod as Mary passes me a prayer book. "I want you to keep this with you, as while I'm a Catholic and you have no religion, I still want you to take comfort in the Lord whenever you need it."  
"Thank you, Lady Mary. I will treasure it forever."

During the New Year, Henry invites Mary back to Court. Queen Katheryn pulls me aside. "How can you betray me like this?"  
"Madam, I have no ill feeling towards you, and I have not betrayed you."  
"You love me."  
"No, you love me. The feeling isn't mutual, Your Majesty." I curtsey to her. "Now, if you will excuse me, I have to return to the Lady Mary." I head back to my mistress when the Spanish Ambassador arrives to speak with her. I'm about to move away to give them some privacy when Lady Mary asks me not to leave.

"Your Excellency, this is my new lady-in-waiting, Lady Emma Smith-White."  
"Your Excellency," I curtsey.  
"Lady Emma," he bows his head as he is sitting down.  
"I'm teaching the Lady Emma Spanish and Latin. She's knowledgeable and can translate a lot of works in German, Spanish and Latin. I'm also beginning to teach her French."  
"Lady Mary is an excellent teacher, Your Excellency. I feel I have learnt more from her than from my other teachers."  
"That's good to hear, Lady Emma." The King gets up to leave, and we all bow or curtsey to him, wishing him a happy New Year.

"Emma, you can go and enjoy the dancing," Lady Mary smiles. "I shall call for you if I need it."  
"Lady Mary," I curtsey to her before joining in with the festivities. After a few minutes, she calls me back.  
"We're going, I'm sorry you didn't get a lot of time to enjoy the festivities."  
"It's all right, Lady Mary. I prefer watching it from afar."

That evening, the Spanish Ambassador arrives in Mary's rooms. "Lady Mary, what you told me back at the festivities, is it true?"  
"Yes, Your Excellency." Mary curtsies. I busy myself with some work. "I know it will mean denouncing my faith, possibly even God, but-"  
"Does she feel the same way?"  
"I've not talked to her about it."  
"She should know. If she doesn't-"  
"I'll tell her, Your Excellency." She turns to me. "Lady Emma?" I curtsey to her.  
"My Lady?" I ask, a little confused.  
"There's something I need to tell you, and I hope that you don't think of me as any different than you already do."  
"I'll try not to, my Lady. Please, tell me what it is if it's troubling you so much."  
"I think I'm like you. I'm attracted to girls. I'm also a human-Qetesh hybrid- my mother, Catherine of Aragon, is a Qetesh, like your mother, same with Anne Boleyn."  
"What about Jane Seymour?"  
"She was human, so Prince Edward is human."

"So, you're gay," I say.  
"That's not a word I've heard before."  
"It means that you love someone of the same sex."  
"Yes."  
"So why did you have to tell me about it?"  
"I love you." I look at Mary in surprise. This was the last thing I expected from a devout Catholic.

"What did you say?"  
"I love you, Lady Emma. I understand if you don't feel the same, or if your parents want you to make a good match-"  
"Parents don't use their children for political marriages where I come from, so my parents are not the problem. I love someone else, but she told me to marry in case I can't get back, and that marriage would offer me some form of security."  
"Marriage to me wouldn't."  
"I also told her that I would want to marry for love. I believe that you should grab love wherever you can."  
"Yes, that sounds right." I look out of the window to find that it's snowing. What would the Doctor think if she was here? I touch the cold glass, thinking about my love. There is no way I can contact the Doctor now.

"What are you thinking about, Emma?" Mary stands beside me.  
"I'm thinking about the Doctor. Somehow, I don't think I'll ever get back."  
"I'm sure you will, someday." She holds my hand. Smiling, I turn to her. "But, until that day comes… can we court with each other?"  
"Of course," I agree, quietly. "It would be nice to not have to expect the unexpected all the time." Mary smiles, sadly, resting her head on my shoulder.

That's when I notice a note on the table addressed to me. Mary picks it up. "Your Excellency, did you see who left this?"  
"It was a woman with short blonde hair. She was wearing outrageous clothes. I told her that she shouldn't be here, but she said that it was for Emma and that it was urgent. Where she came from is beyond me."  
"What was she wearing?" I ask, taking the letter. "Ambassador, it's important. What was she wearing?"  
"She was wearing a coat of sorts and trousers. I asked her who she was, but she wouldn't answer my question." I open the letter so I can read it.

**We were wrong. Your grandmother, Agnes, could travel back in time. She's in 1541, having taken the place of Katheryn Howard, who she killed. Her Vortex Manipulator, which is cheap and nasty time travel, by the way, is out of juice so she can't travel again. **

"My Lady?" Another one of Mary's maids asks. "My Lady, the Queen is here." I look up from my letter, thankful that I didn't read it out loud. Mary curtsies to the Queen.  
"Majesty."  
"Lady Mary, I have come here in person to ask you why you will not show me the respect which as Queen of England I'm entitled to expect, even from you."  
"I think you desire almost nothing else than pleasure. It pleases you, it seems, to do nothing than wear pretty clothes and dance. Some people may think that frivolous."  
"And what about you?"  
"And what about me?"  
"I think you're jealous." She glances at us for a few moments. Mary has four ladies waiting on her. "I am removing two of your maids from your service as punishment for your lack of respect towards His Majesty's wife." Katheryn leaves.  
"How dare you speak to me like that," Mary calls back.

"I'll stay in your service if you want me to, Lady Mary," I tell her when the other maids are sorting themselves out.  
"I would love nothing more than that. Thank you, Emma. What about that letter? What does it say?"  
"I haven't finished reading it yet. I fear to read the last part."  
"Do you want me to read it?" Silently, I nod. Mary picks up the parchment and reads the letter out loud. "We were wrong. Your grandmother, Agnes, could travel back in time. She's in 1541, having taken the place of Katheryn Howard, who she killed. Her Vortex Manipulator, which is cheap and nasty time travel, by the way, is out of juice so she can't travel again. However, she can't change what would happen to Henry's VIII fifth wife as she will eventually get executed for crimes against the King. A friend will arrive shortly to help out. All of my love, The Doctor." Mary looks at me. "A friend? Who is this friend that she talks about?"  
"Believe me, Mary, I know as much as you. It could be anyone."


	6. Lost in Time

A few days later, we are at Hunsdon in the North. I'm walking to Mary's room when I come across a teenage girl who appears to come from the future, much like me. "Oh, good heavens!" I exclaim. "You gave me a fair fright. Creeping up like that! You're not expected until tomorrow."  
"Where am I?" She asks. "Where is this?"  
"I beg your pardon, my lady, but are you quite well? I'm sure it's been a long journey from London, but…"  
"Did you say you were expecting me?"  
"Of course. It's Lady Mary's personal request that you came."  
"Seriously. Is this Buckingham Palace?"  
"This is Hunsdon House."  
"Did you say Lady Mary?"  
"My, you are tired from the journey. Um… I am Lady Emma Smith-White, one of Mary's ladies-in-waiting."  
"Emma?" That's when I realise that I recognise her.  
"Rani?"  
"Oh, my!" Rani brings her hand up to her mouth. "I'm so glad to see you." She pulls me into a hug, and I hug her back, relieved to see a face from my past.  
"I'm glad to see you too. I've been all on my own."  
"But there are many people at Court. What's the problem?"  
"I mean, no one from the future. There are a few gay people here if you ask the right questions, including Lady Mary."  
"Mary's a lesbian?" Rani whispers. I nod silently.  
"We keep it between ourselves, we don't know who else to trust. Now, we need to find you some more suitable attire for Mary's new lady-in-waiting." I leave Rani to change in my room, and she emerges when she's done.

"What do you think?" She asks.  
"Most becoming, Lady Rani. What's happened while I was gone?"  
"To be honest, not much. The government wants to shut Child's Torchwood down, again. We had to fight off a bunch of scarecrows, but Lucy did most of that."  
"Yes, she's good at fighting scarecrows."  
"Jessica says that at some point shortly humanity will become immortal." We reach Mary's room, and I knock on her door.

"It's only me, Lady Mary, and your new lady-in-waiting. May we come in?" Mary opens the door, allowing us entry. "Lady Mary, this is Lady Rani from London."  
"I am most grateful for you travelling so far," Mary smiles. She asks her other lady, Matilda, to leave us, who agrees, curtseying to her. "What is this you bring?"  
"It's a music box," Rani reveals. "Go on, open it." Mary opens the box, delighted when the music begins playing.  
"How is this possible?"  
"They're dead clever where I come from."  
"Thank you, Lady Rani. I will treasure this forever." She closes the box. "It must be hard for you, being so far from home."  
"Especially when you realise how far home really is," Rani agrees. "How well do you know Emma?"  
"Very well. You wouldn't believe it, but Emma comes from the future."  
"So do I. I'm one of her friends, Rani Chandra."  
"I see," Mary smiles. "I'm glad that Emma has a friend to look out for her." She sits down again. "What year do you come from?"  
"2011. Emma's been gone for a year now."  
"I've missed everyone," I say, quietly. "Katheryn Howard, the Queen, is actually my grandmother. I think she's going to try and kill me, but I can't be certain."  
"I'm sure she wouldn't kill you," Mary says. "People will notice if you suddenly drop down dead, and if she does kill you, I will certainly not stand for it."  
"I know you won't, but others might if they find out that I'm attracted to women."  
"Not everyone is as open as I am, I have to say that."  
"Who else knows about this?" Rani asks.  
"Mary, Queen Katheryn- the original, I mean, not my grandmother- and King Henry."  
"Does the King know that you're dating his daughter?"  
"We've yet to tell him," Mary admits. "Are you the friend the Doctor talked about?"

"What friend?"  
"They said that a friend will come to help Emma."  
"Then you must assume that I'm that friend, Lady Mary." Rani curtsies to her. "I was sent here to look for something. Is it all right if I look for it?"  
"Search anything you like, Lady Rani."  
"It's something that changes history, but I'm not sure what it is yet."  
"If you want, we can help you."  
"Thank you, my Lady."

Lady Matilda walks back in with a piece of parchment. "Lady Matilda, what is it?" Mary asks.  
"It's ill tidings. Prince Edward is gravely ill, and you're required by his bedside. All of us are to go straight to Windsor."  
"Prepare the horses," Mary orders. She turns to Rani. "Do you know how to ride?"  
"I haven't done it since I was little," she admits. "I'll be a new hand at it."

As we ride, Mary helps Rani steady herself and keep pace with the other riders as we near Windsor. The people run out to greet Mary- she's very popular as the daughter of Catherine of Aragon. She waves to the people, smiling. I smile with her. "Long live Princess Mary!"  
"Long live the English Rose!" A little girl emerges from the crowd.  
"Long live Princess Mary and Lady Emma!" Mary stops her horse, as do I. Climbing down, I find that the little girl is smiling up at us. "Many of the people know about your relationship, and I'm one of the many who celebrate it."  
"How many know?"  
"Everyone up and down the country. News like this travels fast."  
"Does everyone agree with it?" Mary asks.  
"We still say that you should be Queen of England," a young man says.  
"LONG LIVE PRINCESS MARY AND LADY EMMA!"

As we continue on to Windsor, more people greet us. They wish us good health and pray for the health of the prince. When we reach the castle, we dismount, and Rani takes me to one side. "You know that you're engaged to the Doctor. Does Mary know that?"  
"She does," I say. "And don't use what's meant to happen in history against us. Mary deserves to be happy."  
"So do you. I thought you loved the Doctor."  
"I do, but Mary's here for me right now."  
"Your engagement ring-"  
"I haven't seen it since I arrived in 1540. Before I left the TARDIS, the Doctor must have removed it so no one would guess that I belong to someone else."  
"So, the Doctor has it?" I nod, thinking about the beautiful ring that I left in the TARDIS.

When we visit Prince Edward, I notice that Lady Matilda is carrying a dagger. "Lady Matilda, no!" Rani yells. She tries to stab the Prince, but I grab her wrist, hard, dragging her to the window, banging her hand against the wall. Mary grabs the dagger.  
"Don't move, I won't hesitate to use this!" Lady Bryan runs in, shocked that someone attempted to murder the prince. "Lady Bryan, take Lady Matilda away, she's tried to kill Edward." A few guards arrive, taking Lady Matilda away. Mary places the dagger on the table close to Rani.

"You displayed bravery, Lady Rani. If you can, you may return to your time," Mary tells her.  
"You're right, I can go home so easily." Rani glances at the dagger. "But I'm not going to, not while Emma still needs a friend." We go into another room so we can talk. "What Lady Matilda try to do is wrong. Why would she do that?"  
"She could be a Catholic," I guess. "Trying to get Mary on the throne."  
"But I won't restore England to Catholicism as the Pope would damn not just myself, but Emma too."  
"I wish that you both can come with me, but I don't think you can. History has to go on as it's meant to, with you, Mary, marrying Phillip II of Spain."  
"But I don't want to marry a man," Mary argues. "Not while Emma is here. The people already know of our relationship and want it to continue, you saw them."  
"I know, but you won't be able to have an heir."  
"I'm a human-Qetesh hybrid, Lady Rani. I can assure you that I can have children with anyone I wish." Rani sighs, close to defeat.  
"Emma doesn't belong in this time. Have you ever considered the fact that she might want to go home?" Mary turns to me, asking me if I want to go home. I stop in shock, wondering how to answer. I miss my friends and family a lot, and if my grandmother realises that I know she's here, she'll kill me. Yet I'll miss Mary when I go home, but I'm engaged to the Doctor.

"What should I do?" I ask quietly. "I want to go home to see my family and friends, but I also want to stay here. Rani, what should I do?"  
"I think you have to wait for the Doctor. I don't know what else you can do. If Agnes comes after you, you'll have to run."  
"But she's the Queen of England, no one will deny Agnes now." Mary leaves the room for a couple of moments, returning with the dagger. She hands it to Rani, but she doesn't take it.  
"That will take me home, and I'm not ready yet. Mary, you need to be kind to your people when you become Queen."  
"But I'm not supposed to be Queen. The King made me illegitimate."  
"I know, but you can't take it out on others because they'll want a protestant queen. You'll face several challenges, but you'll need to stay strong and always show compassion for the powerless."  
"I'll do that." Rani turns to me.  
"I'll talk to the Doctor about what's going on. Hopefully, we'll figure something out."  
"Thank you, Rani." Slowly, Rani takes the dagger from Mary, disappearing.

Mary and I stand in the room in shock when Katheryn strides in. "Lady Mary, why aren't you with your brother?"  
"I was with him, but something came up. It's over now."  
"I suggest you get back to him as I need to talk to Lady Emma." Mary curtsies, before noticing my worried look. Smiling reassuringly, she says loudly enough for Katheryn to hear that she'll wait for me. That calms me a little. If Mary waits for me, hopefully, my grandmother won't do anything too radical.

"I know you know," she says, grabbing my wrist.  
"I don't know what you're talking about, Your Majesty. Please, let me go."  
"I saw your face when I told Mary I was dismissing two of your maids. You were warned by your friends. Where is the letter?"  
"What letter, Your Majesty?"  
"You know what letter! The letter that your fiancée sent you."  
"I don't have a fiancée." I know at this point it's better to play dumb and make her get off my trail. Praying to God that this will work- my first ever prayer- I begin talking again. "However, if you do want to talk about this mysterious letter, I will answer any questions that you have, but I fear that I don't know much."  
"All right," Katheryn sits down, motioning for me to sit beside her, thankfully letting go of my wrist. "How do you know the Doctor?"  
"Do you mean Doctor Butts, the King's physician?" Katheryn is already annoyed with me. "I'm afraid I don't know any other doctor." Already, Katheryn stands to leave. "I'm sorry I couldn't be of any help."  
"I bet you are." Katheryn sweeps out of the room. After a few moments, I leave to join Princess Mary. I would like to believe that the danger is over, but it's only just beginning.


	7. Something for You

We are walking in the garden at Hunsdon with the Spanish Ambassador before we go on progress to the North. "How is my father?" Mary asks, with the Spanish Ambassador replying that after his most recent incident, he is well and planning for the progress is continuing. There are rumours at Court that the Queen is with child, but there's no evidence of it yet. "I'm sure His Majesty would be overjoyed if she produced a Duke of York."  
"On the other hand, she will not," I reply. "I come from the future, Katheryn Howard will never have a child before her execution. The crown will first go to Edward, then to you, Mary."  
"But what if you're wrong?"  
"If I'm wrong, then God help me as I'll have no idea what the future will hold."  
"Only if God wills it."  
"But He must will it, Lady Mary. How else can we be together and bring greatness to our country?"  
"Lady Emma is right, My Lady," Eustace Chapuys says. "If the King gives his consent for you both to marry, then you can bring greatness to England again."  
"I'll deny Catholicism since they will declare me as their enemy, but I will allow people to believe in what they want." The King walks over to us, telling Lady Mary that she's going on progress to the North.

"Father, there is something I have to tell you," Mary says.  
"Speak your mind, Mary."  
"Promise you won't be angry?"  
"I promise."  
"I'm in love with Lady Emma."  
"You are?" Mary nods.  
"I haven't felt this happy in years."  
"Lady Emma," he calls for me, and I join him and my mistress. "Do you love Lady Mary?"  
"I do, Your Majesty." He places my hand in Mary's.  
"Then we should plan a grand wedding. Mary, I will reinstate you to the throne, alongside Lady Emma, and you will both receive the title of 'Princess'. Princess Mary, do you want the wedding to occur while on progress or when we are back in London?" Mary looks at me.  
"You should do what you wish, Princess," I curtsey.  
"We should do it when we return from Progress, around Christmastide. It will give us enough time to prepare." Henry nods, happy with Mary's decision.  
"I can't wait to see you again, Princess," the King bows to Princess Mary, before bowing his head to me and leaving the garden.

I am thirteen (until I return to my time), and of marrying age in Tudor England. At least I'm marrying for love like I told the Doctor I would. By marrying Princess Mary, I'm honouring her wishes. Mary and I pack for when we go to the North before we set off, joining the Court as we head North. People call to Princess Mary and me, curtseying to us. "These are the real people of England," Mary tells me as we ride on.  
"Long live Princess Mary and Princess Emma."  
"It's surprising how fast news travels," I say.  
"I've had the Ambassador tell the people about our engagement. Have you heard any news from the Doctor?"  
"Not since we met Rani. I hope to write to her about our engagement, but where am I supposed to send the letter? She can be anywhere in time and space."  
"I'm sure she'll hear about it soon enough." I smile as we ride along, giving money to the people who need it.

Upon reaching Lincoln, we enter the Cathedral so Henry can address the people. We kneel in prayer, rising when the King does and turn to the people. Mary is quietly holding my hand, squeezing it in reassurance. "People of Lincoln," King Henry begins. "Do I need to remind you many of you here and about rose up in an unnatural and unlawful rebellion against your king who you, by the laws of God are bound to obey? Well, today we come here for an altogether different reason. Today we come here on a pilgrimage of forgiveness. We are here to pardon all our subjects for their past sins and disobedience. And since we have seen how much you love us and see all your tokens and signs of loyalty with a free heart, we forgive you." The crowd go wild, applauding and cheering.

That night, while we are staying over, Princess Mary visits me with a letter. "It's the same writing as your letter from the Doctor," she says as I pull out my previous message, realising that she's right.

**Dear Emma,  
I'm glad that you're safe for the time being. In November 1541, Katheryn Howard will be under house arrest at Hampton Court due to her infidelity with the King. Try to stay away during that time, preferably at Hunsdon. Take care, and I love you with both of my hearts.  
The Doctor**

"It is the same," I agree. "After the progress, we should stay at Hunsdon, as she suggests."  
"Yes, I don't want to get caught up in what will happen."

When we arrive at Pontefract Castle in Yorkshire, we know that the progress is coming to an end. Mary and I are right behind the King, with Katheryn behind us. We all dismount our horses as the King introduces the people to me and tells them about my engagement to Princess Mary, who he has officially reinstated to the throne before leaving on progress.

I help Mary unpack her belongings so that she can settle in before the next day when she will make a speech to the people of York. I reread my message, smiling when the Doctor says that she loves me. How can I tell her that I'm engaged to Mary? Will it come as a shock to her? Of course, it must do, how could it not?

That morning, I wake early so I can join Mary when she addresses the people. I want to support her in any way I can, even if it's from afar. "I want you to say a prayer for His Grace, the king's Majesty," she says before we all bow our heads in prayer. "We pray for His Majesty's long and blessed reign and for his excellent health. In the name of the Blessed Virgin whose only son died in agony for our sins. In the name of the father, son, and Holy Ghost." We all cross ourselves. "I bless all of you. All shall be well. All manner of things shall be well." The crowd cheers and I realise why I love Mary so much. She reminds me of the Doctor in so many ways- she knows how to inspire the people, instil hope in them. The Doctor doesn't always do this, but it's something Mary excels in.

Mary. The Doctor. Mary. The Doctor. It seems like I can't think of one without the other. I'm engaged to them both. One of them I will leave with a broken heart while I marry the other. Or both of them will be hurt, and I marry neither of them. But there's no point in hurting them both. Princess Mary has more power than the Doctor.

I begin to feel restless. While I love the life I live with Mary at Court, I long for adventure. My soul stirs for action, and my heart beats for romance. Mary isn't one for love. While we both care for each other deeply, I struggle to comprehend myself as becoming Queen of England by Mary's side. Queen Emma, it sounds silly. Besides, I can't be the Queen of England. I don't know how.

Slowly, the realisation dawns on me. Rani was right. I have to let history go on as it should. Mary has to marry Phillip II. Now that I know what I should do, how can I break the news to Mary? I want to do it in secret, but Henry will find out. What will he do when he discovers that his eldest will die childless and alone and that I cannot remain by her side?

I have no choice. I have to tell the King and Princess Mary.

But I have no way of going back home.

I don't want to tell them until I know I'm going back home. I won't bear facing them after that. I sit, grabbing a piece of parchment so I can write a letter to the Doctor.

**Dear Doctor,  
I heartily thank you for your last letter and pray to God for your good health. It makes my heart to die to think of what fortune I have that I cannot always be in your good company and listen to you talking about the stars and what the future may hold for us. I pray that one day, we shall reunite and once again travel the stars. **

**I want to go home, and beg of you to take me back. I'm currently engaged to Princess Mary, and I realise now that's not what I want. Please, Doctor, take me home.  
Yours as long as life endures  
Emma**

I seal the letter and writing THE DOCTOR on the front before I open a jewelled box I own, given to me by the King. I place the message in there before I return to my sewing, selecting a deep blue thread so I can stitch a box upon the fabric. It's no ordinary box- it's the TARDIS. Oh, how I long to hear it again.

When Mary visits me when we visit St Mary's Abbey in York, I feel lonely. Yet, I don't want to admit it. We don't make love, we're saving that for the wedding night, Mary says. That's good because I don't think I'll like it. I remember doing it with the Doctor, she was in charge, she took her time, made sure I loved it. This time, I might have to be in charge, and I shiver at the thought. "Are you cold, Emma?" Mary asks.  
"No, Princess," I reply. "I've been thinking about things."

"Emma?" Mary asks. "I intercepted this from the Queen before she came in here. It's for you." She hands me a letter.

**Dear Emma,  
Your grandmother has returned to modern-day. I'm the real Katheryn Howard. She never killed me, you must believe me! I heard you're engaged to Princess Mary and wish to congratulate you myself, but they said that you will not see me. I must see you soon, please. I can help protect you. I asked the King if we can annul our marriage as he married your grandmother, not me. He agreed, and I asked to enter your service if Princess Mary doesn't mind. **

**I know that you may miss the Doctor a lot, and I think you need as many friends as you can get here. If you will let me be one of your friends, I will remain loyal and will never betray you.  
Your friend as long as life endures  
Katheryn**

"She seems genuine," Mary considers. "But how do we know it's her and not your grandmother?"  
"That's true, maybe we should give her a trial period, monitor her and see what she does. Maybe we should do it for a few weeks?"  
"It's worth a try," Mary agrees. She lets me keep the letter, and I place it with the messages I received from the Doctor. There's no way that history will remain on track if Henry VIII and Katheryn Howard are having an annulment rather than Katheryn finding herself on the scaffold.

Katheryn enters our rooms and promises to serve me in any way that she can. Smiling, I let her sit. "You do understand that if you have any history of partners you had, you must tell us," Mary says.  
"Oh, Emma already knows about my sexual history, but if you want me to disclose it now, I will."  
"I think if one of us knows, then it should be fine. However, Katheryn, you must understand that we will not put up with you if you decide to go after anyone if they do not accept your advances. If that happens, we will immediately relieve you of your duties. Do you understand?"  
"Yes, Princess Mary."

We wait at York for King James, but he never turns up. Instead, a woman with short blonde hair and wearing a lilac coat appears along with a man. It turns out that the King of Scotland has fled back to Edinburgh and a Scottish army is harassing the people of England, spoiling fields, burning barns and killing anyone who opposes them. Henry tells him that the English will retaliate in the same manner. He turns to the woman. "What about you? What are you here for?"  
"My name is the Doctor, and I'm here to see Emma." Mary and Katheryn glance at me, shocked. Another servant runs in, saying that Edward is gravely ill at Windsor. Most of the Court return to London. Henry arrives at Windsor to see his son. Katheryn, Mary and I pray for him until the Prince is better. The Doctor stays with us, knowing that she probably shouldn't interrupt until Prince Edward is better.

When we hear the news, we are at Hampton Court, when I notice that someone places a letter on Henry's chair in the chapel royal. My blood runs cold. What will happen next?


	8. Bottom of the Pot

The King arrives, saying that my engagement to Princess Mary is over. I will not marry her due to my 'pre-contract' with the Doctor. As such, I am isolated in my rooms at Hunsdon while Mary is commanded to go to Court. Katheryn and the Doctor are both in the Tower facing interrogation. All I can hope is that neither of them are tortured.

When Bishop Gardiner arrives, I have thought about suicide several times. Yet, I always stopped. Everything that can cause me harm was removed a few days ago. I keep on thinking of my children, knowing that if I give up on them now, they will never forgive me. "I want to go home, but I don't know how," I tell him.  
"The Doctor is already released, and she's returned to her TARDIS. She left several days ago."  
"How can I get in contact with her?" I stop, noticing my box. Opening it, I realise that my letter to the Doctor is gone, replaced by another one. I open it.

**Dear Emma,  
If I knew how you felt, I would have come right away. Keep faith, young Emma. You will prevail.  
The Doctor**

Bishop Gardiner smiles at me. "It must be a sign from God." I find a piece of parchment and record where I am, saying that the Doctor can pick me up and take me home. "Will you ever return, Emma?"  
"I don't think so, Bishop," I reply. "This period will hold too many memories, and besides, I wouldn't want to disrupt anything."  
"I see. I'll tell Princess Mary that you are safe." I place my address in the box and close it again. I sit down, waiting. After about a minute, I return to the box.

Inside, is my engagement ring, and a note. **I'm coming.** I place my engagement ring on and admire the sparkling diamond. "It's a beautiful ring, Lady Emma."  
"Thank you, Bishop Gardiner." I sit back down. "The Doctor is coming for me, you'll see." As I finish speaking, the TARDIS appears in all its glory. The Doctor pokes her head out.

"Hi, Emma. Oh, come here." I immediately run into her arms, sobbing. "Now, we have to get out of here. Your grandmother is still free. If we go to the present day, you'll be safe."  
"How old will I be?"  
"Twelve, so it will be November 2011, one month before your birthday. Remember how you stopped ageing before coming here?" I nod. "It means when you arrive, you'll automatically turn to Luke's age. Now, come on, it's time to go." I follow her into the TARDIS.

"I missed you," I say to the TARDIS.  
"I missed you too," the Doctor agrees.  
"I was talking to the TARDIS, but I missed you too." I pull her into a kiss, slowly deepening it. "We'll be fine now," I say when we part. The Doctor nods, tears in her eyes.  
"Let's go and find you some clothes," she says when the TARDIS lands in November 2011. I find all of my old clothes in the wardrobe and put them on.

I'm at a shop when I open the door. Clyde, Rani, Jessica, Alistair, Sky, Lucy, Mum and Mummy are there along with the man who brought Sky to me- and the parrot, how can I forget him? "Emma?" Rani asks, still in her Tudor dress, I note.  
"Hi, Rani. Did you just come back from meeting me?"  
"That's right."  
"I love the new look," Clyde says. "What happened back there?"  
"I'll tell you later," Rani says. "The Time Window's shut! We did it!"

"Indeed you did," the Shopkeeper smiles. "History back on track. How marvellous!"  
"But we didn't get to help," Sky moans.  
"Where are you going?" I demand. "What's going on here?"  
"I'll let your friends and family tell you," the Shopkeeper says. "Now, as to where I'm going, that would be telling. The Captain's work is done here, which is all you need to know. I'd love to stay and chat but duty calls." The Shopkeeper and the parrot disappear.

"The Captain's work?" Lucy asks.  
"We've been working for a flipping parrot!" Clyde says. I laugh. We begin heading out of the shop and head to the attic where we swap stories. Maria and Luke, as it turns out, are at Oxford University, while Clyde and Rani are having a gap year while deciding what to do. Jessica and Alistair were fighting at Bosworth Field to make sure Henry VII was crowned King. Sky and Lucy stayed at the shop, learning more about where they came from. Clyde was fighting the Nazis during the Second World War. Mum and Mummy met a woman called Emily and saved the future. I know where Rani went, but she told her story anyway.

"You were engaged to Mary the First?" Clyde asks.  
"The engagement fell through after Henry realised about my supposed pre-contract. But everything's fine now. It's all back to normal." Mr Smith pulls up an article on Queen Mary and states that she married Phillip II of Spain and reads a letter out to us that she placed in a jewelled box that was discovered this week.

My dearest Emma Victoria Smith-White,  
I hope you find this letter in good health, and I wish for you to know that I'm Queen of England, like you said I would. Hopefully, you found joy and happiness with the Doctor, like Bishop Gardiner said you would. I tried to be a just and fair ruler, but it's difficult at the best of times.

I am now dying and have instructed for my half-sister Elizabeth to take the throne until my infant daughter, Catalina Emma Tudor is ready to take the throne. I hope you find happiness, even if we never see each other again.

Godspeed, my love,  
Mary the queen

I notice that Mum is on the phone. When she disconnects the call, she looks worried. "Mum, what's the matter?" I ask. Mum doesn't say anything but hugs me tightly. "Mum, what's going on?"  
"We have to go," she finally says, tears in her eyes.  
"Ruby, what's going on?" Mummy demands.  
"That was UNIT, Agnes found her way back. They're organising safe houses for us. We aren't safe here now. Luke, Maria, Clyde and Rani are fine. Agnes isn't after them, so they'll be safe where they are."  
"Safe houses, as in, plural?" Jessica asks.  
"We might have to split up. As we're a large family, Agnes can track us. If we split up, change our names, it will make it more difficult for her. We won't contact each other as it could allude her as to who and where we are."  
"It's all my fault," I whisper.  
"Don't think like that, Emma, never. It's not your fault. If anything, it's Agnes' fault as she isn't one for giving up."  
"Can we choose our own names?" Sky asks.  
"It should be something that wouldn't attract any attention. We can't use the name Smith-White as it will definitely attract attention. We should try to blend in as best as we can." Mummy keeps her last name, Smith, but chooses to call herself Diane. Jessica and Alistair choose the names William and Elizabeth. Lucy continues using her name, while Sky changes hers to Laura. I change my name to Aimee, which is as close as I will go to Anne, partly to remember Anne of Cleves, who has always shown kindness to me, but also because of my admiration of Anne Lister.

Well, this is going to be hard.

My name is now Aimee Winters.


	9. Beginning A New Life

My name is Aimee Winters.

I am sixteen years old. No, I'm twelve. I only look sixteen.

My mum is Ruby Winters. I don't have a dad. I'm an only child as my father ran off before I was born. My mum never had the heart to find someone else.

We live on Sibden Hall Road, Halifax, Yorkshire.

After arriving at the UNIT base, Kate Stewart welcomes us and presents us with ID with our new names. Everyone will have to believe that the Smith-Whites are dead. We have to begin our new lives as best as we can. UNIT officers arrive to individually give us our backstories, our jobs (if we have any) and our new addresses.

I always wanted to visit Halifax, but I never thought I'd live there, not when I'm so far from my children. I don't know where they are. UNIT will reunite us when the danger is over.

At least Osgood visits me with updates.

They were the first to leave the base. Mummy is with them. Even if I knew what city they are in, I'd have no chance of finding them. Staying put in Yorkshire is the best option. I begin playing Only You by Alison Moyet as I think about my children. I miss them a lot, but we all need to move on with our lives. We can no longer dwell on the past.

We stay in the base for a few days longer, and Osgood shows me the papers. There was news of us dying in a car crash, which the police confirmed and everything. She says that we have a new home on Shibden Hall Road.

The first day we arrive, we choose our rooms. Mum allows me to have the bigger room and I begin unpacking as I listen to my music. Even though I have my mum, I have to rebuild my life. "Aimee," Mum calls. "The furniture has arrived." I go down to help unload what I can of the removal lorry that has parked outside our house. The removal men place my bed by the window, much to my delight. From this window, I can see Shibden Park, where Shibden Hall is. I will like to explore it soon.

When the removal men leave, we begin settling down into our new lives. The next week, I attend the local school. It's a small school set up by parents in this small part of Yorkshire dedicated to teaching us about the local history. The government allowed them to do this, and I'm making a few friends. One of them is a girl called Alison, who likes to conform to society. She wears a lot of dresses, mostly in bright colours like blue and pink. Mostly, she's quiet in the classroom, hiding her intelligence, particularly in history. However, Mr Yates picks up on this, sometimes asking her questions. At this point, Alison can't conceal her knowledge and often goes into such detail that the teacher is impressed and says that she'll pass her GCSEs with flying colours.

Another of my friends, Jack, is very talkative- thankfully, not so much that he gets into trouble. Like Alison, he's very bright, but while Alison specialises in English, he specialises in history. Jack's favourite period is between 1791 and 1840, which I noted was when Anne Lister was alive. The three of us bond over our admiration of her being herself during a time when it was almost impossible. Even now, it seems unlikely.

The Doctor has my engagement ring, she took it back while we were at UNIT. She wants me to settle into my new life and believes that I shouldn't have anything that will hold me back.

Mum works as a scientist in the heart of Yorkshire. I don't see her much these days, but I'm glad to have friends who will look out for me.

A couple of weeks after I started at Shibden School, I invite Alison and Jack around. "Wow, your room is massive!" Alison breathes.  
"Yes, but I don't know how to decorate it." My walls are a light yellow, but I want things out that symbolise my new life. I ask them if they have any ideas.  
"I do," Jack smiles. "Follow me." We head outside, and I lock the door behind me.  
"Where are we going?" Alison asks. "We can't leave this part of Halifax! My parents will ground me."  
"Who said we were leaving this part of Halifax?" We begin walking a long distance.

"My feet are killing me," Alison moans.  
"I've run a lot before, so I don't feel the pain," I say. At least that part is real.  
"We're nearly there," Jack smiles. "Don't start complaining just yet." We reach our destination- Shibden Hall.  
"I always wanted to visit Shibden Hall. As it's close by, I can visit often." Jack nods, saying that he also comes to Sibden Hall when he wants to, and Alison wants to visit it more often. I think about buying an adult annual pass, so I can visit more often as I won't be able to use a concession one by the end of the year as I'll turn seventeen (not- I'll be twelve). I decide to inquire about it, as do my friends, and we can get our annual passes.

Upon arriving outside the actual hall, Jack asks me to give him my phone, which I do. He tells Alison and me to stand together and begins taking pictures of us outside Shibden Hall. Soon, Alison takes the phone and starts doing the same. Eventually, we ask a visitor if they can take a picture of all three of us together, which they do. At that point, we begin exploring the rest of the Hall.

After a fun afternoon, we head back to Shibden Hall Road in time as Mum has only just got back. "Hi, Aimee, did you have a good day?"  
"Definitely. What about you?"  
"I'll tell you about it when we get in," I say goodbye to Alison and Jack before we head inside. Mum begins to get dinner on.

"Mum, what's going on?" I ask as she puts the pasta on.  
"I need to talk to you… Emma."  
"It's Aimee, you should know that."  
"Osgood contacted me."  
"How is she?"  
"Agnes is in Yorkshire."  
"I don't want to move again."  
"We might not have to as long as we keep up our game." I nod, thinking about it. We have to continue hiding until either Agnes gives up or she dies. At the moment, it seems to be the latter. "You look after yourself, okay?" I nod as she pulls out a paper bag. "I stopped off at the bakery. I thought we could do with some cheering up." She brought us some doughnuts. "Did you have Jack and Alison around?"  
"Yes, it was great hanging out with them. We went to Shibden Hall, just down the road. It was fantastic."  
"I'm sure it was. I'm sorry I wasn't around recently."  
"It's fine."  
"No, it's not. It's hard on both of us, I will leave my job, apply elsewhere so I can spend more time with you. I might apply at the school, teach science. I always wanted to be a teacher."  
"I'm sure you'll be a fantastic teacher," I smile as Mum checks on the pasta. I have an essay to complete on my favourite historical figure. Today, I learnt more about Anne Lister, so I think I will do it on her. I talk about it to Mum over dinner, who thinks that it's a fantastic idea.

As I write my essay that evening, I glance at the new photos that I printed out and framed. For the first time in weeks, I feel happy as Aimee Winters. Yet, Emma Smith-White is still inside me. I'm still Emma, no matter how much I want to kid myself. If I can, I will reunite with my family.

As I finish off for the evening, Mum knocks on the door, looking worried and worn-out. "Mum?" I ask, concerned.  
"Agnes is here," she whispers. "She wants to talk to you."  
"I'm not going to."  
"I'll be there if that will help." Silently, I nod. It will be a long evening.


	10. A Long Night

When I enter the kitchen, Agnes is sitting there. Silently, I sit opposite her, besides Mum. "If I recall correctly, I haven't been offered a drink," she says.  
"You're not welcome here," Mum rebuffs her. "We had to flee from London, part with our family so we can get away from you and live peacefully. You will never understand how difficult it is, to lose your family, knowing you can't contact them."  
"I do, Ruby, I really do."  
"Then why are you trying to kill my daughter?"  
"Do you want me to go after your son instead?"  
"Absolutely not. Why are you tearing me apart from my family?"  
"I want you back. Your so-called 'family' tamed you. You're a Qetesh, a soul stealer, and yet you defy your very nature."  
"Others before me have, there's nothing unique with my situation."  
"My family cast me out, those who I believed will always stay with me. They disowned me, exiled me into the atmosphere. Do you know what that's like?"

"You forget that I was already there. I was exiled due to my beliefs, you were the one who exiled me. If you thought that coming back, grovelling and begging for forgiveness will work, think again. You exiled me from my family, sent me into space." Mum slams her hand on the table. "You forget that you were the one who wanted to eat me! Now you're threatening my daughter, my family. I'll never forgive you, do you hear me? NEVER!" Shakily, Agnes stands, tears welling up in her eyes.  
"I forgive you," Agnes says. "I forgive you for all your wrongs, all your sins." Mum scoffs.  
"My sins? You think that mating with a human is still a sin? Our people have legalised human-Qetesh hybrids like Emma and Luke. They are allowing them into their society. The Qetesh are calling their own back if they defied the rules that said that all other species are beneath us, taking them as partners, even adopting them into their families. Times are changing, Agnes, and you're living in the past."  
"You're living in the future, too far in the future."  
"This is the present, why can't you see that? If you keep coming back here and harassing my daughter and me, I will kill you. You're not welcome here. Get out." Agnes doesn't move. "NOW!" Agnes bolts for the door as I spot a knife in Mum's hand.  
"MUM, no!" I grab Mum's wrist, letting Agnes escape. Right now, my grandmother surviving doesn't matter. I'm not allowing my mother to become a murderer.

"Breathe with me, Mum," I whisper, beginning to breathe in and out, slowly. Eventually, Mum calms down.  
"I'll call Kate Stewart, let her know what happened." Mum phones Kate while I remain in the kitchen. Slowly rising, I get myself a glass of water. "I know it will mean having to move again, but we know that Emma's at the heart of this. We have to protect her. Right, I see. So, what do you want us to do?" I take a sip of water, watching Mum. "She already knows where we live. You mean…" Mum places a hand over her mouth in shock. "Right, I'll let Emma know. Goodbye." Mum hangs up before returning to the kitchen.

"What did Kate say?"  
"She wants us to stay here for the time being as she already had to move Sarah and the kids as Agnes found them." What? Agnes is trying to break us apart, and she's making everything worse. "She is moving us back to London when she can."  
"What, so, another fake death?" I ask. "I won't be able to tell my friends where I'm going?"  
"We've got a few months to sort everything out, and no, there won't be another fake death."  
"So, I can tell my friends I'm leaving, but I can't tell them where I'm going in case Agnes makes them talk?" Mum nods.

Jack and Alison arrive a few minutes later after someone tried to make them talk about Emma Smith-White. "We had to say that she was dead," Jack tells me as the four of us sit down in the kitchen. "After all, that's what happened." I nod quietly. I'm still brooding over what Mum told me. We'll be leaving for London in a few months.  
"She was fantastic during the 456 invasion," Alison sighs. "I still can't believe that she's gone. After everything that she did, only to die in a car crash. Emma didn't even get to marry the Doctor after everything she went through." I'm tempted to tell them that I'm Emma, but I keep my mouth shut. After all, why would they believe me?

"Ruby," Mr White calls.  
"What was that?" Alison asks.  
"I left the TV on upstairs," Mum swiftly lies.  
"Ruby White."  
"NOT NOW, AND I TOLD YOU NOT TO USE THAT NAME!" Mum slams the door of the kitchen, making Alison and Jack jump.  
"What's going on?" Jack asks. "And why did he call you Ruby White?"  
"Aimee, what's going on?" Alison says.  
"Nothing," I tell them, but they look suspicious. I look at Mum, who nods. "While we've been living here, Mum's been helping to save the world."  
"Really?" Alison looks amazed, and I nod.  
"When I was little, I helped her. It wasn't just Emma Smith-White who fought off aliens when she was little." I lead them up into the attic, where Mum placed the alien artefacts she found when in the city. I have added to the collection with stuff I found from school- and, at the heart of it, is Mr White, Mum's personal AI.

"This is Mr White," Mum says, picking him up.  
"A bit like Mr Smith and Mr Smith-White," Jack smiles. He turns to me. "Are you sure you're not Emma?"  
"Certainly," I say, quickly. Alison looks a little disappointed.  
"So she did die in that car crash. The police weren't lying."  
"They could have been. The police get things wrong all the time." I look over at Mum, smiling. Mum smiles back at me, pulling me into a hug. Today was tiring, and I don't think that I can keep up the pretence for much longer.

Tears build up in my eyes, stinging them. My head is pounding with the grief that I can no longer be myself. "I think Emma needs some time if you don't mind." Mum covers her mouth when she realises the mistake she made.  
"Emma?" Jack asks, turning to me. Alison has suspicion written all over her face. "Mr White called your mum 'Ruby White', so are you Emma White?"  
"I-"  
"No, Ruby's daughter was called Emma Smith-White," Alison says. "Emma, are you adopted?"  
"No!" Thankfully, my phone rings. "It's Kate." I take the call. "Hello?"

"Emma, you're going back to London. We're sending a squad team to your house now." She hangs up.  
"Emma, what is it?" Mum asks.  
"A squad team is coming for us. Jack, Alison, you have to go. You shouldn't get caught up in this."  
"No, we're staying!" Jack argues.  
"Now is not the time for arguing. You have to go, it's not safe." Jack and Alison leave the house before Mum, and I breathe a sigh of relief. "We're going back to London."  
"Then we'd better pack, come on."

Again, I'm packing only the essentials before the squad team arrives and takes us back to London. When they come, Kate is with them. They take us out to the car. "We're going with a different tactic this time," she explains. "When we separated you, Agnes went after both of you, and it's clear that if we do the same again, it will happen for a second time. As such, we are taking you to the UNIT base in London."

Upon arrival, I spot the rest of my family, including Luke. Even Clyde, Rani and Maria are there. We're moving back to Bannerman Road.


	11. Goodbye, Emma Smith-White

Not one day after we moved back, a meteor heads my way. "Meteor redirected to these coordinates," Mr Smith says. "Strong possibility of germ pathogens."  
"We've got to neutralise it!" Mummy says. "Emma, bio-coolant. Alistair, thermos-clamps. Go, go, go!" We run out of the attic before Mummy drives us to the scene. We slam the doors upon arrival. "If the meteor splits open, the germs will escape, we've got to be quick!" Carefully hurrying up the path, we spot the meteor. Mummy flips open her scanner. "Just in time. Emma?"  
"On it!" I'm about to spray the meteor when sparks fly from it, neutralising the threat.  
"Whoa, what was that?" Sky asks. Mummy stares at her scanner in disbelief.  
"It's reading all clear."  
"But I didn't do anything!" We circle the meteor, Mummy scanning for anything out of order. Suddenly, her watch starts beeping.  
"There's something there." We turn to find Agnes up the bank in front of us. Immediately, Mum crouches down, snarling and growling. I back away behind Mum. If Agnes is going to kill anyone, it will be me. Lucy pulls out her gun. Jessica, Alistair and Sky form a barrier between her and me.  
"What are you doing here?" Mum says, refusing to stand.  
"Saving the world," Agnes replies. "All in a day's work. Goodbye." Agnes walks off.

"I'll get Mr Smith on her as soon as we get back," Mummy comforts Mum, who is still shocked by what happened. It turns out that we don't have to. Agnes moved down the road, into number 46 Old Forest Road. Mum tells us to stay in number 13 as Agnes can get aggressive with humans. Knowing this first-hand, I agree to stay. I sit in my bedroom, a piece of paper in front of me, a pen in my hand. My box from Tudor England is sitting on my desk. The Doctor said that anything I place in it will go to her.

_A woman in lilac  
her arms as soft as roses  
the one I long for, pine for  
girl, sweet-talking  
whispering sweet nothings  
how we will be together  
the world I long for  
the word I hear  
girl, sweet-talking  
a river of words  
love and praise  
the world I long for  
is within my reach  
my beloved  
girl, sweet-talking. _

I place my little poem in the box and close the lid before heading up into the attic to find that Mum's back. "You all right, Mummy?" Lucy asks. I nod, smiling.  
"I'm fine, Lucy." Jessica and Alistair don't look convinced. Coming to think of it, neither does Mum.  
"Mr Smith, I want you to do a medical scan on Emma," Mum tells him. "Scan for anything unnatural, including whether someone is stealing her soul." Mr Smith scans me before compiling the data he received.  
"Ruby, I do not know how to-"  
"Just tell us," Sky snaps.  
"There is evidence that someone is stealing Emma's soul. I cannot be certain, but I think Agnes is doing it. I'm so sorry, Emma, but you are dying." I have to think about my words carefully. How can I put it to Mr Smith, and more importantly, to my family?  
"Mr Smith, in my current condition, should I be given a position of responsibility and authority over the lives of millions of children?"  
"What?!" Alistair roars.  
"Emma, it's not my-"  
"I want an answer," I hiss.  
"No."  
"Thank you, Mr Smith." Slowly, I turn to the window. "So… no-one's irreplaceable."

"Emma, don't talk like this, please. You're upsetting the children."  
"We can figure something out," Sky argues. "If Emma can go into hiding-"  
"We already tried that, twice," Mummy points out. "And twice, Agnes found us."  
"There's not much hope now," I whisper, turning to them. "I can never ask for a better family nor a better upbringing. The close friends I have are fantastic. The only thing I would have changed is what happened that day. I should have gone to Thames House instead."  
"There was no way we could have anticipated what the 456 did," Lucy says. "No one knew what would happen."  
"I could have prevented a major loss of life."  
"You were needed at the Tower," Alistair argues. "Besides, you were too weak to do much- and you had a mental link to the 45, which was crucial."

I think about who can replace me. Luke is the obvious choice for Child's Torchwood. Yes, he can take over. As for my private life, I think I'll need to stay. My children still need me. I can't be that selfish, but I may need a little help.

Mum knocks on my door that night. "You can't give up on Child's Torchwood."  
"I don't think I have any choice in the matter."  
"I don't think I ever told you why I hate my mum so much." I shake my head, sitting up in my bed to listen. Mum sits down on the other end. "When I was little, Mum went to work while Dad stayed at home to look after my siblings and me. Mum had no clue how to parent us, and so when Dad died, she ran off with a politician and left us in the abandoned house. At least my older brother could work, but he was too tired to do anything else. Most of the responsibility fell on me as I was the second-eldest. I had to learn how to hunt when I was about the same age you were when you started hunting, which is seriously young, even for Qetesh. The Doctor was right about me killing children, but I made sure that they didn't have anyone to return to. If they did, I wouldn't kill them."

"What happened next?"  
"The government found out eventually. My brother was in the hospital at the time as he had to relax. He couldn't work for the next few months, so it was up to me to keep my family alive. My mother was on the jury, and when she heard what I did, she said she would eat me herself so that I wouldn't influence anyone in the family. It was during this time that I looked at other species and saw how they viewed us- to them, we were monsters, known as 'soul thieves' because we killed them without mercy, even in front of their children." Tears build up in Mum's eyes, a few slipping down her cheeks. Her voice begins to wobble a little as she tries to keep herself talking. "After that night, I decided that I wanted to help those that the Qetesh destroyed. I knew it meant I had to leave my planet, my family, but I knew that it was worth it. At my trial, I plead guilty, and because of that, my sentence was lowered to eternal banishment, which is lucky as, during that time, they also found out about my new beliefs. I was given Mr White, he was a games console at the time, using 5-D holograms to entertain me. I reprogrammed the games device. It took me a while, a long while."  
"Mr White's a PlayStation?" I ask.

"He's taken me to so many places, but I suggest that you don't go looking for them. They are sadly no longer with us. I joined each species during their final days, helping the elderly and the children die in peace before the horrors began that came in the form of my species. Then, one miraculous day in 1538, I arrived on Earth. For me, it had been a few thousand years. When I saw this young species, I vowed 'never again will I let a species die'. I stood up to the Qetesh for the second time, the first time being when I was on trial. Many people died, but, by January 1540, they left Earth with their tails between their legs, utterly defeated."  
"You should be a hero on Earth!"  
"King Henry VIII did offer that to me in 1544, but I turned it down." I was in Tudor England three years before I met my mum. That would have been an awkward situation. "I wanted a normal life without becoming a national hero for England. However, he promised me £7,000 each year for as long as I live. I still get it to this day from the Royal Family as I was considered to save humanity." I can't help but feel proud of my mum. Ironically, I'm following in her footsteps. "Then, I met Sarah's parents. I nearly killed them before Barbara blurted out she was pregnant. I tried to stay out of their way after that, but we lived in the same village, so it was difficult. In the end, I decided to rectify my mistake, and I helped them in any way I could. I was there when Barbara gave birth to Sarah Jane. Now that Agnes is back, she's threatening to destroy everything that I've done so far for the human race. That's why I want her gone- she's threatening the happiness of millions of people."

After Mum leaves, I think about what she said. Agnes is threatening the happiness of millions of people. They deserve to be happy.

That's why I have to bargain with her.

A cold sweat runs through me as I realise what I have to do. I clench my shaking hands into fists. Well, who said I wouldn't go down without a fight? I sit at my laptop at my desk, opening it. Once this is over, whether I live or die, I'll rest.

As darkness descends on Bannerman Road, I slip out of the house. Hopefully, no one will see me walking to my doom. Now how to attract Agnes' attention? As soon as I think that, Ages steps outside of number 46, Mrs Kuthrapali's place. Mummy always told me not to talk to her- she looks for something to gossip about. If you have a secret, don't tell her. She'll tell the whole neighbourhood.

But it's not Mrs Kuthrapali's place now. She died a month back, with Agnes moving into her house a few days ago. I can't go down without a fight. "Emma, isn't it?" Agnes asks.  
"You know what my name is," I smile, sweetly. "I have a request if you don't mind."  
"Go ahead."  
"I know you are killing me. So, in return of you killing me, I want you to leave Earth, without killing anyone, and never return. I'll know if you don't, and I will poison you. So, do we have a deal?" I hold my hand out.  
"Deal." She shakes my hand before teleporting me into the cellar.

I don't want to tell this story.

I have to tell this story. If anyone reads this, they have to know what happens.

Someone stealing your soul sucks, by the way. Qetesh manipulate your emotions, turn your lives into hell. And these are the words coming from a Qetesh hybrid, for crying out loud. Yet, I will not show my emotions to a heartless murderer. I have her word that she'll leave as soon as I'm dead.

In fact, I can't wait to die.

Whoa, before you judge me, let me explain.

_I sit at my laptop at my desk, opening it. I have a few friends, they'll know what to do. Well, not friends, more like employees, and I now need their help.  
__**Emma: Hiya, I need a bit of help. Grandmother stealing my soul. Any ideas on how to get rid of her?  
Ame4evs: Try poisoning her. If she does something you don't like, your life essence will become deadly when she digests it. I heard it from a friend.  
Emma: Thanks Ame4evs, but I'll want something that will work a bit quicker.  
LuCross: You can make a bomb in a Qetesh stomach made out of the materials you find there. Here are the instructions. Just remember to get out of there sharpish or you'll get blown up too.  
Ame4evs: That's dangerous.  
LuCross: Your way means Emma will die. The universe still needs Emma.  
LuCross: At least Emma will have a chance of getting out.  
Emma: Thanks for the ideas. Will let you know how it goes if I can. :)  
LuCross: Good luck  
Ame4evs: Good luck**_

_A bomb? That sounds cool. At least if I die, I'll go out with a bang. I look up the instructions. _

So, as I was saying, I can't wait to die so I can put my plan into action. I keep my eyes closed, blocking out Agnes and her stomach, focusing on my memories.

_I have Owly in my hands as I say goodbye to my parents. I'm two years old, my parents are going to go on the run. I'm no longer safe with them. When the car moves away, I bury my face into the little owl, howling. _

"_She has a name you know, 'Emma', two syllables, sure you can manage it." Jack laughs at my response. _Oh, Jack, I miss you. Why did you have to go when the 456 came? _  
"Great work, Emma." I feel my heart fill with pride. For the first time, someone is laughing with me rather than at me. Some people laughed when I messed up in the past, but my parents didn't. They knew when I was trying to be funny and when I wasn't. Thank goodness they knew. _

_I hold my phone to my ear. "This is Owen's voicemail. Leave a message, and I'll get back to you as soon as possible." Please say your message after the beep BEEP  
"Owen, we need you at Torchwood, pronto!" _Oh, Owen, I wish I could take your place. We had so much fun together. I want to scream. Owen, Tosh, Ianto, Gwen, Rhys. All gone. All dead. They were good people. What did they do to deserve such a fate? All five of them were good, they defended Earth, just like Child's Torchwood. It's my memories of them that motivated me to keep going.

"_A boy and a girl," the nurse says, handing them over to me. I look up at the Doctor, who has tears in her eyes and a huge smile on my face. _I'm doing this for Jessica and Alistair. I'm doing it so they can have a future. Sky too. And Lucy.  
_"What?!" I exclaim. A baby is lying there in a white dress and hat _Sky- it's a perfect name for someone who seemed to have fallen out of it. I love Sky.  
_"Lucy Cartwright." _I met Lucy at Farrington. She's smart, she has helped us out with the 456.

Come on, Agnes. Hurry up!

Slowly, I open one eye. My wrists, which were previously chained to the wall, were free. I look around, staring at the red walls. Now's my chance! Recalling the instructions, I begin wiring up Agnes' stomach to the bomb I hid in my pocket. I thought in case I couldn't build it in the time, I should bring one with me.

For Agnes, I'm a walking apocalypse.

"Where's Emma?" Clyde asks when he turns up the next morning.  
"I've been searching for her, but she left her phone in her room," Mr Smith says. "I'm sorry, but that's all of the information I have."  
"She was on her computer before bed," Lucy realises, stopping her pacing. "There could be something there."

"Where's Mummy? What have you done with her?" Sky demands in the doorway of number 46 Old Forest Road. She, Jessica and Alistair have my laptop in their hands.  
"I don't know anything," Agnes says. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I hope you find your mother soon." Before she can close the door, Jessica forces it open, with her siblings spilling into the house.  
"Agnes, we've got a search warrant to search your house. If you resist, we'll arrest you." Jessica pulls the warrant out of the back pocket of her denim skirt as she follows her siblings into the house. Alistair climbs the stairs to the second floor. Jessica searches the ground floor. Sky descends to explore the cellar.

"I can sense her down here!" She yells, with Jessica and Alistair rushing down. Agnes follows them, cornering them. "Agnes ate her."  
"We've got to get her out of there," Jessica says. "Alistair, block Agnes. Sky, get in there and get Mummy out."  
"On it!" Sky jumps into the deadly depths.

"Oh!" Haresh says when Gita finds the car keys. They're about to leave when Rani bursts in, running into the lounge before grabbing a cushion and sitting down. Gita didn't miss the tears spilling down her daughter's cheeks. Sarah Jane, Ruby and Lucy follow Rani. Luke and Clyde pull Haresh and Gita away to explain what happened.

"Gone?" Gita asks. "That's not like Emma."  
"She didn't even tell her children," Rani sobs.  
"Now I know this is rubbish. Jessica, Alistair, Sky and Lucy are her children. The way Emma looks at her children, it's the same way I look at you. A mother knows. I see you all, having a laugh, sharing your big secret. Don't think I've not noticed. You all, you have something special."  
"Emma felt like a sister to me."  
"Emma makes you happy, and that makes me happy. Now, listen to me, all of you. Emma Victoria Smith-White would never ever just run off. Was there anything happening that was bothering her?"  
"Agnes was stealing her soul, but I don't see how that could have made Emma so agitated as to disappear," Clyde says.  
"No, but she was talking about giving up Child's Torchwood," Ruby reminds everyone. "It's likely that the idea of her having to give the one big thing that shaped her life made her terrified. After all, without Child's Torchwood, she might not even be alive today. She wouldn't have her children, which is the most important thing for her. She might have left to try and give her children a better life."

"Other than for the fact three of them are missing?" Gita asks.

"Sky?" I ask.  
"What are you doing? We need to get out of here, come on!" She grabs my hand, trying to pull me away from the bomb.  
"I think I can get rid of her, and I'll have a chance of getting out."  
"Mummy, if you die, so can the rest of us," Sky reminds me. "We can find a better way of sorting this." I pull up a screen, showing her what's going on. Jessica and Alistair are fighting Agnes.  
"As I'm not dead yet, you're safe. It will be a big help if you fight Agnes as well. It will give me enough time to set the bomb off and get out."  
"Please, come with me," Sky begs. Carefully, she pulls me along, afraid to break me, it seems.  
"Your siblings need you."  
"And we need you. Mummy, please." Sky stares at me, hopeful. When she pulls that face, I can never deny her.  
"All right. Let's go." I take her hand, and we start running. "So, how do we get out?" Electricity builds up around Sky's hands as she places her hands on the outside of Agnes' stomach, and the foundations of it begin to shake. "I don't mean to alarm you, Sky, but we've got to hurry." Sky nods, electricity building up around her. A mouth appears, and she leads me through it to the outside world.

"Great job, Sky! Let's go!" Jessica calls as we bolt out of the house, Agnes hot on our tails.  
"STOP!" The Doctor yells. "It's over, Agnes." I look around to see my family, my friends, even people I never met before, standing in the street. Even Luke and Maria are there with K9. Jack made it. Nearly everyone I met, everyone I tried to help, are here.  
"I sent a message out across time and space," Luke says. "Every life Emma has touched, those she has met, are here to stand against you." Among the crowd, I can see Katheryn and Mary. "All of them came here for Emma. Oh, and Emma wired a bomb into your stomach that will go off unless you leave."  
"Admit it, Agnes," I say. "You lost."  
"Never," Agnes hisses.  
"Then let's hear from the people."

Suzie and Shyla step forward. "Emma gave us meaning again," Suzie smiles, holding her daughter's hand. "We were separated because of Torchwood, but Emma helped us find each other again."  
"When I met Emma, I was inhabited by an alien. She promised to help, and that promise kept me fighting," Carys says. "Since then, I dedicated myself to helping the lives of others. I was at Park Vale when I met Emma again as I knew the people who were bullying her and tried to get them to stop."  
"Emma helped us keep going when we found ourselves out of time," Diane says. "She supported us, and we went on to keep Child's Torchwood running." George and Andrew explain that I gave them a new meaning to their lives. More people step up to tell Agnes their story, what they are doing now. The last two to tell Agnes about what happened is Katheryn and Mary. Katheryn tells Agnes about how I was able to teach her about who she really was, even though it wasn't for very long.  
"And you never killed me," she says. "I've returned to my own time as soon as you left."  
"Emma taught me how to love after years of neglect," Mary looks at me. "She taught me about the most important things, family, friendship, love. When she left, I was able to pick my life back up again, after a few months of mourning what could have been, of course."  
"But what's important is that Emma showed us all that our lives can be good if we change for the better," Luke finishes. "She's done so much for the universe that I had to contact everyone she met, those she made better. I had to reach out to them. Emma did so much for everyone here that it was the time that the universe gave something back to her. However, I had a backup plan in case something went wrong. I discussed it with Emma before. The bomb, that was my idea. It's a shame that it had to go to the extreme for my twin to react."

Agnes isn't going down without a fight. "Emma, do it." I'm holding the detonator in my hand. I press the button, exploding Agnes' stomach. Agnes screams in agony.  
"Nothing can amount to the pain you caused me," I say. "I will never forgive you for what you did." Mum sends Agnes away, using her teleportation bracelet. Almost immediately, everything returns to normal- or as normal as life can be on Bannerman Road.

Everyone I met and influenced is telling me about what they are doing now. I'm talking to Mary and Katheryn when Jessica starts screaming. "JESSICA!" I cry, running over to her. "Jessica, what's wrong?"  
"Give her some space!" Sky and Lucy pull a few people away with the help of Luke. "She has a vision." Everyone falls quiet. This is the first vision since the 456 invasion. Soon, Jessica snaps out of it.

"Worse is coming," she says. "The Trickster, the person we thought will no longer cause trouble, will return." People begin whispering. Once, the Trickster was our friend. He offered his support. Now, he wants trouble. "He lied when he said that chaos killed him. Next year, he will take over two little girls, twins, in fact. I can't see who they are yet."

With Christmas fast approaching, we try to get Jessica to tell us who the twins are or when the Trickster is coming to no avail. She doesn't know.


End file.
